You may also have personal experience with workplace mishaps like slips and falls. You've undoubtedly seen something in your workplace that posed a potential threat of injury. There are several threats to individuals' safety in and around the workplace. To lessen the frequency of such incidents, it is crucial to create an awareness of the EHS system among both employees and employers. In light of this, Faith Anyonje launched Essenspark Limited to educate companies on the necessity of EHS systems in the workplace.

Faith has been working as a consultant in the field of environmental health and safety for the last nine years, first on a part-time basis and then full-time once she launched Essenspark. Faith has worked in the manufacturing industry twice before advising corporations specializing in security and safety. As a result of her work with consulting firms, Faith is now able to supervise, audit, and teach employees in fields as diverse as the construction industry, the financial sector, the pharmaceutical industry, the logistics industry, and more. Her expertise and the EHS management system were put to use in the industrial sectors. There, Faith gained an in-depth understanding of the problems faced by businesses and the requirements placed upon EHS departments.

Engaging in an exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine, Faith spoke about her entrepreneurial journey so far.

What motivated you to establish Essenspark Limited? Tell us about the underlying idea behind the firm and some of its most unique features.

At some point in my career, I was compelled to look outside the box due to ineffective management. I couldn't fathom why I would be treated so badly for something I could handle quite well on my own. My ideas were neither heard nor implemented and I felt if I acted on them, I would make progress. That's what gave rise to Essenspark. Also, because of my outgoing personality, I was able to find and learn from excellent mentors who schooled me on the ins and outs of my chosen field. Throughout the years, I have stayed motivated by my passion for EHS consultation and my desire to take a different approach to problems.

Furthermore, I wanted to guide the clients through the EHS process since I know from experience that most clients are unfamiliar with EHS and are only engaging in it because they are required to. Consequently, I opted to do more than merely comply, unlike other service providers who would just leave until the next service was due. When it comes to environmental, health, and safety (EHS), I help my clients fill in the blanks and foster a lasting culture of safety.

Instead of treating all of our customers the same, we take the time to tailor our services to their specific needs. There is never a period when we don't adhere to the highest standards of morality. Moreover, our employees are the most valuable resource, therefore we go out of our way to help them develop professionally and reward them handsomely when they do well. In addition, we want our customers to act as their own 'think tanks' and provide us with their unique answers.

Tell us about the different responsibilities you shoulder as the Managing Director of Essenspark Limited. What are your primary focus areas in your current role?

In my role as Managing Director of Essenpark Limited, I am responsible for all strategic decisions about the company's growth and expansion, as well as the collection, management, and distribution of all available resources. Also, providing excellent service to our clients is our top priority.

What are some of the most pressing challenges that you encounter in your current role? How do you successfully mitigate these challenges?

Subpar pricing is the main obstacle we always face. We provide competitive pricing, however, given that other service providers charge less for essentially the same services (within their scope), some customers may want to focus only on meeting regulatory requirements instead.

"Growing our clientele by 35 percent year-over-year while keeping 90 percent of them is a major accomplishment for me"

The second consideration is monetarily-based. The acquisition of waste from customers is a significant part of the ongoing expenses of any firm, but notably a waste management one.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?

Growing our clientele by 35 percent year-over-year while keeping 90 percent of them is a major accomplishment for me. I've intended for a long time to have my employees attend Nebosh courses this year and better place them, as well as get NEMA certification for waste management. The formation of new alliances with influential companies across several sectors also ranks among our proudest achievements.

Drawing from your experience as a business leader what would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

There is no such thing as an impossibility; just self-imposed constraints. You think it's difficult just because you haven't given it a try. You only need to give it a go, and the next steps will become clear. As well as, you can count on us for advice and guidance whenever you need it.

Faith Anyonje, Managing Director, Essenspark

Faith obtained her B.Sc. in Environmental science from Egerton University. Her education continued at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, where she earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health. Faith has a Diploma in Security Management, which she received from the Kenya Institute of Criminal Justice. She has completed courses in ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 (lead auditor course), cyber security, anti-terrorism, and the Nebosh IGC and NeboshIdip certifications.