“We are continuously forming new collaborations to create opportunities, enhance experiences and empower everyone on their path to independence and purpose,” she says. The charity’s recent partnerships focus on exploring roles in supermarkets and they are expanding into the fitness sector, training learners to become assistant trainers who now lead corporate wellness programs.

As individuals, Phadnis says we can deepen impact by learning about different disabilities, volunteering our time, donating our skills and advocating for accessible practices because differently-abled individuals continue to face stigma and key challenges such as: Accessibility barriers; rigid, traditional workplaces; employment discrimination; and the challenge of effective regulation of laws and ordinances.

“In Hong Kong, the government, businesses and civil society have made great strides—introducing accessible transport and facilities, medical services, vocational training and incentives for diverse hires—to foster more inclusive workplaces,” says Phadnis.

However, he counters that although Hong Kong’s legal framework does protect disability rights, uneven implementation and weak oversight mean many employers sidestep their obligations, further restricting workplace access.

He opines that organisations should embrace genuine inclusion by recognizing the full spectrum of disabilities, adopting social and human-rights models that focus on individuals’ strengths, implement universal design for learning and support, and ensure accessible workstations and flexible arrangements.

“By weaving personal and collective efforts together, inclusion becomes more than a policy—it becomes the way we live, work and connect every day,” says Phadnis.