Susan Scott-Parker Goes Live

Episode 10 - In conversation with Lesa Bradshaw - international speaker and disability inclusion specialist

Susan Scott-Parker Season 1 Episode 10

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0:00 | 28:25

In this episode of Scott-Parker Goes Live, Susan sits down with Lesa Bradshaw - international speaker, social entrepreneur, disability inclusion specialist, and founder of Bradshaw LeRoux (South Africa) and Lesa Bradshaw International (UK).

Lesa brings a rare blend of lived experience, business acumen, and global perspective. From her experience in South Africa to her work across Europe and the UK, she has spent decades tackling the systemic barriers that keep disabled people out of meaningful work and helping organisations shift from compliance to genuine confidence.

Together, Susan and Lesa explore:

• How compliance cultures worldwide — from quotas to rigid medical definitions — distort inclusion and prevent organisations from accessing real capability.

• The consequences of treating adjustments as “special treatment” instead of a basic requirement for fairness.

• What businesses get wrong when they focus on counting disabled people rather than removing the barriers that disable them.

• How Lesa helps global organisations translate inclusive intent into practical, context-specific action across regions with very different realities.

• Why authentic leadership, honest questions, and a willingness to listen transform disability inclusion from a legal obligation into a business advantage.

Lesa also shares powerful insights from her work with companies that are beginning to make real progress — including what it looks like when leaders shift from fear and uncertainty to curiosity, humility, and meaningful change.

Grounded in humour, humanity, and sharp strategic thinking, this conversation reframes disability inclusion as an evolution in good business practice, not an act of charity and not a compliance exercise.

Whether you're a senior leader, HR professional, policymaker, or simply someone who wants to understand how to remove disabling barriers and design for human reality, this episode offers clarity, challenge, and a fresh way forward.

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If you would like to suggest a future topic or guest for an upcoming podcast please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.