Computacenter UK inclusion lead: ‘Meritocracy and diversity aren’t mutually exclusive’
The initiatives already exist, but the channel now needs to sustain its momentum, says Seleeta Walker
To DEI or not to DEI? This might be the question for some organisations as the tide of the Trump administration sweeps many tech companies’ inclusion and representation initiatives (see: the words “female,” “LGBTQ,” and “native American,” among others being removed from federal communications).
But many UK companies still stand by the need for diverse workplaces, insisting that diversity and meritocracy are not mutually exclusive concepts.
At this year’s XChange UK, Computacenter’s UK inclusion lead, Seleeta Walker, told CRN about the reseller’s ongoing push for inclusion and shared some observations about the channel’s overall progress.
“One of the hindrances to recruiting is how the channel is still perceived—I think the IT channel is a little bit vague. I mean, if you are somebody who’s not from the channel, do you know channel companies beyond the vendors, Dell, HPE, etc.?” Walker says.
She points to apprenticeships and early engagement as key factors in improving representation and tackling the channel’s ongoing skills shortage.
“Apprenticeships are certainly a good thing, and we need more of them. Paid apprenticeships, and even work experience, those types of things, and many channel orgs are starting to partner with educational institutions to be able to organise something like that.”
Getting in front of young people earlier is also crucial, she adds: “Unless you have channel companies coming in and kind of saying to your face, look, this is an option, people just won’t be aware.”
When it comes to leadership accountability, Walker is clear that change has to be driven from the top but sustained from within: “Of course D&I has to come from the top.
“We all agree on that 100 per cent. But I think unless the people and your ERGs and your advocates within the business are trying to make change, and pushing and asking for them, I don’t think anything really changes.”
Walker also warns against the divisive rhetoric creeping into discussions around diversity.
“Meritocracy and diversity aren’t mutually exclusive. What we all need to do is get back to those values.”
On the rollback of DEI initiatives in the US, Walker strikes an optimistic tone. “We just can’t let these things dampen our spirits.
“We are still the same people, we still have the same vision, we still want to do the same things. Focus on that. Everything else is noise.”
She emphasises the power of collective action: “Working together, within organisations and between them, that’s a force.
“If you’ve got all of these organisations coming together for a common cause, you can have a much bigger impact than just one organisation doing its own thing.”
While some companies may be shying away from DEI, Walker’s message is clear: the UK channel has no intention of stepping back from its commitment to inclusion.