Executive Interview
Executive Interviews
An Interview with
Faride Shroff
SENsational Consultancy
Founder & Director
SENsational Consultancy strives to enable equal opportunities for people with different abilities and create an inclusive environment for all.
We work to dispel common misconceptions about disabilities and use effective training methods to pave the way for an open-minded approach towards the inclusion of people with disabilities in the corporate world.
Publish Date:
10 March 2020
Hong Kong
Location:
Tell us about your background, and how you came to found your company?
After a 30-year career as a special needs educator, I discovered a lack of employment opportunities for people with disabilities at corporate organisations, and set about finding ways to make a positive change to this situation. I founded SENsational Consultancy in 2013, as a way to bridge the gap between those with disabilities, and their potential employers.
What is most important to you and your organization – mission, vision, or core values? Why?
Our vision is to create a world where disability is no longer viewed as a barrier, but rather something we can all adapt to, and accommodate. The plan is to change common misconceptions by providing education to corporations and giving them the tools to make brave and positive changes. Ideally, we want the disability to become "diff-ability" - simply a different ability.
Can you explain briefly how your service(s)/product(s) works?
We provide customised training workshops in various formats, to cater to the client's needs. These can include a Lunch-And-Learn, multiple-day workshops, focus groups and more. The hope is that by bringing awareness to the ideas around disabilities, people will be more understanding an accepting of on-boarding those with them. The employer should see the person before the disability, allowing them to gain access to an otherwise untapped pool of talent.
How has the industry been changing in recent years?
We are starting to see more companies wanting to increase the scope of their Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) portfolios - which includes the possibility of bringing "different abilities" on-board. Some may begin purely as part of their CSR, while others may have a genuine vested interest. Whatever the reason, it's a positive starting point, and one which we are able to help develop.
What makes you different from what’s currently available in the market?
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At the moment, there aren't many others in this field. Our differentiating factor is that I have over 30 years' experience working with differently abled people, and can therefore provide a unique standpoint on the issues and concerns that clients are facing.
What does the future hold for your company?
We are looking towards a continually bright future for the company, and for society as a whole. We hope that SENsational Consultancy will continue making positive strides towards a more inclusive world for all!