Softcat On Making Inclusion Louder, Prouder And More Visible

Softcat has once again put its people and inclusion work forward for the CRN Women and Diversity in the Channel Awards.

Keisha French, diversity and inclusion lead at Softcat, explains why recognition matters, reflects on the company’s progress and argues that businesses should strengthen their commitment to diversity and inclusion when external pressures are prompting others to step back.

Why did you put yourselves forward for the CRN Women and Diversity in the Channel Awards?

Softcat has put itself forward for the awards for a number of years, so this year was never going to be any different. We are passionate about highlighting the contribution that women and employees from diverse backgrounds make to Softcat.

The awards give people the opportunity to put themselves forward, advocate for themselves and showcase the work they do across the business and the wider industry.

What would it mean to Softcat to win?

It would be so big for us. We see how hard everybody works day to day, and we also recognise that we still need to bring more women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds into the IT channel. It is not only about getting people into the industry; it is also about celebrating their wins and successes once they are here.

Seeing Softcat or any of our employees win would mean everything to us. We have also been nominated for three company awards, so seeing the business recognised for the work we have been doing in this space would be absolutely incredible.

What are you most proud of from the past year?

If I put my company hat on, we are about to announce another record-breaking year in terms of gross profit. We have grown significantly as a business and continue to attract new customers to Softcat.

For me personally, though, I am really proud of our networks and community groups, and of the amazing work their leads have done to pioneer and showcase diversity and inclusion in a way that feels authentic to their communities. It has been wonderful to see those networks and communities grow, and our celebration day in the summer was a particular highlight for me.

What is the biggest challenge facing diversity and inclusion today?

One of the biggest challenges we are seeing in diversity and inclusion is how we respond to events outside work that are beyond our control. That could be conflict and war, political tension or the rising cost of living. These things are external to Softcat, but people are experiencing them and then coming into the workplace.

The challenge is understanding how we support our people and respond at the right time in a people-first way, while also maintaining the integrity of the business. It is difficult territory, but we are really pleased to work with fantastic organisations such as Inclusive Employers and the Business Disability Forum, which consult and support us as we navigate it.

What is the biggest lesson the industry can learn?

There has been a lot of external noise around diversity and inclusion, and in some places it has become a bit of a taboo subject. People are stepping back and stepping away, but I think now is the time, more than ever, to double down. We need to show the industry and wider society that we remain committed to diversity and inclusion, and that we are creating companies and an industry that are open to everybody.

Now is not the time to shy away from that. It is the time to say it louder and prouder, and to show people who may feel nervous about what is happening in the world that everybody is welcome.

This article is sponsored by Softcat