Sandra D’Souza is on a mission to help entrepreneurs build and grow profitable businesses. For over the last 20 years, Sandra has been advocating for gender equality and women in business as well as building her expertise in all aspects of business from finance, operations, technology, marketing and sales.

Her passion for social entrepreneurship has allowed her to pursue her interests in Ellect. Sandra is also a published author of the best-selling book “Social Media for Baby Boomers: How to translate your decades of knowledge and experience into social influence.”

As the only Australian selected to participate in Nasdaq’s Spring 2021 Milestone Makers Program, she was showcased on the NASDAQ Tower in Times Square , New York City along with 12 other outstanding entrepreneurs focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #10, Reduced Inequalities.

On International Women’s Day 2019, Sandra launched Ellect focused on helping businesses to achieve their ESG Goals in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through its Ellect Stars program. The program assesses the achievement of gender equality practices in the company’s board of directors and senior leadership team for large businesses, senior leadership team and employees for small businesses. Large companies that qualify become eligible to be awarded a Silver or Gold Ellect Star in Gender Equality, while small businesses who qualify are awarded an Ellect Star Small Business Achievement.

As a part of the Ellect Stars program, they have reviewed each listed company in the Australian Securities Exchange Ltd or ASX, as well as the American stock exchange NASDAQ to identify which companies have practices in place to support gender equality in their board and their leadership team. Currently, they are working on the London Stock Exchange and should be out with the list shortly.

Sandra highly recommends Vebiz as she has been working closely with Robert Jones and Stuart Smith with Ellect for a successful application for an Export Market Development Grant (EMDG). Through the grant, Ellect is now able to claim eligible marketing expenses that further its mission in helping companies achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion in business, as part of their ESG Goals. 

To learn more about Ellect and the Ellect Stars program, visit their site at www.ellect.biz.

To learn more about Sandra D’Souza and her gender equality and women advocacies, see her profile here.