As the Founder and Managing Director of Sandbox, Angelo De Silva has revolutionized the HR industry with his approach, rooted in ethical practices and strong values. Sandbox is uniquely positioned to deliver tailored, data-driven solutions that impact both performance and growth.
Transforming Learning and Development
Sandbox emerged over a decade ago with a vision of transforming the landscape of learning and performance enhancement. At its heart, Sandbox champions a people-centric experiential learning approach, which stands in stark contrast to traditional corporate learning models whose impact on sustainability behavioural changes can be hard to quantify. Sandbox’s immersive experiences captivate participants and drive genuine shifts in behaviour and culture.
This foundational ethos evolved into Sandbox’s unique CSP™ (Culture Structure People) framework. While there is often a tendency to focus on structural adjustments or short-term fixes, Sandbox prioritizes cultivating a robust organizational culture. Angelo believes that a strong, well-designed culture drives and supports people-centric performance, leading to improved engagement, profitability, and effective talent retention through the Right Talent, Right Fit© approach.
Global surveys by Gallup and LinkedIn reveal that company culture is increasingly pivotal to job satisfaction and retention serving as key metrics for employee productivity. Millennials and Gen Z workers, who now form a major part of the workforce, prioritize working for organizations with a strong, authentic culture over mere financial incentives.
The CSP™ Framework and Culture Consulting
CSP™, or Culture, Structure, and People, is Sandbox’s proprietary framework developed from our extensive experience working with thousands of clients across various industries. This framework embodies our unique approach to organizational development, emphasizing that sustainable change and superior business results are driven by aligning these three key areas. Traditional models can often focus primarily on short-term metrics, but we have seen that true, lasting success comes from harmonizing the three pillars: culture, structure, and people. By integrating these elements, CSP™ puts a purpose-designed culture at the forefront, aligns structural strategies to support this culture, and empowers people to execute these strategies effectively. This method allows organizations to not only respond adeptly to immediate challenges but also strategically innovate and excel over the long term, securing their future in a competitive landscape.
As a core part of our consulting services at Sandbox, we passionately deliver the CSP™ framework, tailored meticulously to each client’s unique landscape. I, along with our team of dedicated consultants, engage deeply with each organization to truly understand their specific challenges and aspirations. It’s about crafting a strategy that’s not just functional but transformative, integrating Culture, Structure, and People in a way that resonates with the very essence of the organization. This personal commitment to our clients’ success is fundamental. We guide them through every phase of their transformation, from the initial diagnostics to the full implementation and beyond, ensuring that the strategic changes we recommend take root and flourish, driving measurable and sustainable outcomes.
Redefining Leadership: The People Leaders Development Program (PLDP™)
From Theory to Real World Impact
Angelo reflects on the extraordinary success of Sandbox’s flagship leadership initiative, the People Leaders Development Program (PLDP™). Widely adopted by 80% of Sri Lanka’s top conglomerates, the PLDP™ is not just another leadership course—it’s a transformative journey that directly ties leadership development to tangible business outcomes. What sets it apart is its guarantee of a 3x ROI through Sandbox’s proprietary project structures, designed to transform leadership potential into measurable business success.
This rigorous program, unlike traditional corporate training, pushes participants beyond their comfort zones. “It’s tough,” Angelo admits, “especially for those used to standard, tempered training. But it’s exactly this intensity that shapes leaders capable of thriving in today’s volatile business environments.” Through immersive simulations, real-world application, and advanced people analytics, the PLDP™ equips leaders with the agility, decision-making skills, and confidence needed to make an immediate impact.
Over the past five years, this innovative approach has delivered impressive results—generating over 10 billion Sri Lankan rupees in business benefits for Sandbox’s clients. It’s a demanding program, but the payoff is undeniable: leaders emerge ready to drive both personal and organizational growth from day one.
A Strategic Shift in People Development
In today’s people development, the real challenge lies in addressing deeper organizational needs. Angelo stresses that traditional programs often focus on quick fixes but fail to drive lasting change. Sandbox takes a more strategic approach, fostering a continuous culture of learning and development for sustainable growth. Rather than one-off sessions, Sandbox builds long-term partnerships, tailoring solutions to unique challenges. By embedding a growth-focused culture, we ensure development programs support ongoing leadership and growth, preparing teams to thrive in an evolving business landscape.
A distinguishing feature of Sandbox’s approach is its focus on holistic development. The firm provides comprehensive support, including coaching and mentorship and managed training services. This continuous engagement solidifies newly acquired skills and promotes a culture of lifelong learning. Angelo highlights that this approach is particularly effective in countries like Sri Lanka, where localized expertise is crucial. By combining deep knowledge of the local context with global best practices, Sandbox delivers solutions that are both innovative and culturally relevant.
Pioneering Data-Driven Precision
Under Angelo’s leadership, Sandbox has positioned itself at the forefront of capturing and documenting high-performance team metrics, elevating Sri Lanka’s presence on the global stage with its pioneering work in people analytics and organizational development. This commitment to transforming intangible aspects of organizational culture and team dynamics into tangible metrics is a cornerstone of Sandbox’s approach.
One of Sandbox’s latest innovations, the Culture Platform “Calybrate™,” exemplifies this approach. Designed based on world-renowned research, Calybrate™ offers CEOs and leaders visual insights into their organizational culture, enabling them to shape and drive it effectively. With adoption in over 10 countries, Calybrate™ helps organizations cultivate distinct, specialized cultures aligned with their future business landscape and workforce needs.
In addition to Calybrate™, Sandbox has developed sophisticated assessment platforms, including LEAD360 and IMPACT180. These tools minimize bias associated with traditional evaluation methods, providing clear, objective data crucial for both self and organizational development. Sandbox’s flagship Behavioural Assessment Centre OAR™ focuses on future-ready skills, observable behaviours, and measurable outcomes, ensuring fairness and accuracy and has achieved record retention rates for clients that have implemented this as part of their recruitment process.
Setting New Standards in Performance Consulting
The mission at Sandbox is to elevate the standards of people development and organizational culture. The company believes in crafting transformative experiences that address the unique challenges and goals of its clients. This strategic, innovative, and forward-thinking approach ensures Sandbox remains at the cutting edge of performance consulting.
When Angelo founded Sandbox, his vision was to create a global platform that would elevate Sri Lankan expertise and challenge the consulting industry as well as importantly challenge local biases towards recruiting homegrown consulting expertise. With a decade of experience and a diverse global client base, he reflects on this journey with gratitude. The success of Sandbox is a testament to the innovative solutions and commitment to excellence that the company embodies.
Future Vision and Expansion
Looking ahead, Angelo plans in dynamic two-to-four year cycles. As a millennial entrepreneur, he is excited to collaborate with the next generation of young global leaders and entrepreneurs. This era of rapid change presents thrilling opportunities, and he envisions Sandbox standing out as a consultancy deeply rooted in ethical practices and strong values.
Angelo plans to further enhance Sandbox’s proprietary platforms, consulting and advisory offerings, and global development programs. This continuous improvement ensures that Sandbox remains at the cutting edge of the consulting industry, providing clients with state-of-the-art solutions that drive performance and growth.
For expansion, Sandbox is strengthening its presence in emerging markets across Asia and beyond. Angelo is committed to offering culturally relevant consulting services that leverage local expertise while benchmarking against global standards. This approach ensures that clients receive the most effective and tailored solutions possible, making Sandbox a truly global consultancy.
Angelo acknowledges the incredible team at Sandbox. Their dedication and passion have been instrumental in driving the company’s success. Together, they have faced and overcome challenges, and their commitment continues to inspire him. He also honours the memory of a teammate lost too soon, who remains a cherished part of Sandbox’s story.
Under Angelo’s leadership, Sandbox focuses on unlocking performance through people, ethical practices, and staying true to core values. The company is not just keeping up with trends but setting new standards. With a clear vision and a dedicated team, Sandbox is poised to continue shaping the talent pool in Sri Lanka and setting new benchmarks against global standards.