Rohan is a first-generation immigrant passionate about using business as a force for good. With professional experiences in the public, private, and social sector he is a staunch believer in cross-sectoral collaboration, viewing it as the key to solving the biggest issues facing our society: climate change, inequality, and conflict. Through these professional experiences he has had the opportunity to attend and speak at conferences such as the UN CSW, Women Deliver, and the UN Youth Assembly. An aspiring academic, his personal areas of interest and advocacy include empowerment of marginalized groups, social policy, tech for good, and social entrepreneurship & finance.

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

Sustainability is synonymous with the world selflessness. It defines the compromise that individuals and organizations must make to ensure that future generations can prosper. It is both a metric to measure performance but also the light that will guide both for-profit and non-profit organizations through uncertain futures. While Sustainability is mostly associated with the ecology and the environment, my view is that it encompasses other elements including the social implications of operations as well as internal governance. This is confirmed by the creation of the 2015 sustainable development goals that includes seventeen pillars that touches on an array of social issues.

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

Sustainability will play core role in my professional career. Initially, I want to work at either a social enterprise or a large corporation that has demonstrated a commitment to ESG values across their whole operations (ie: Danone, Unilever etc.). From these experiences, I hope to learn more about the fundamentals of business, the intersectionality of social impact/business as well as gain contacts and mentors. From there I want to complete additional schooling and then teach at a university as a professor. My research will have elements of social impact whether it be in comparative social policy, public-private partnerships, or tech for good. On the side, I would also want to provide sustainability consulting services and if I find a good idea, start a social enterprise. Entrepreneurship has piqued my interest recently. Life throws curve balls and I can imagine a scenario where I will not be able to achieve exactly what I am looking for. Nevertheless, I will still hold and try to consider/integrate sustainability into whatever I do professionally. The best way to change a system is to do is from within, and that is what I want to do: make business more sustainable and inclusive.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

Youth for Gender Equality (YGE): YGE was a series of youth-led consultations that invited over 300 youth from across Canada (10 provinces and 1 Territory) to share their experiences with gender inequality. The insights from these dialogues were compiled and then published in a report, along with a set of fifty recommendations for corporations, governments, and the social sector to tackle these issues. I helped to design the structure for the consultations, synthesize the insights, and present the findings and recommendations to the Minister of Gender Equality and other prominent figures in the business and non-profit sector. https://plancanada.ca/youth-for-gender-equality

Evocco: Evocco is a tech-powered social enterprise that allows consumers to track the environmental impact of their food by uploading their grocery receipts into a processer on their website. This feature will soon be available in an app. Based in Ireland, this company recently won an award and funding from the UN Environment Programme. Using my passion for marketing, I helped the company refine its branding and develop a customer outreach campaign in the Ireland and UK market. https://www.evocco.com/

Research Fellow at Huron University College: Conducted Academic Research on the growing influence of Visible Minorities in Federal Politics.