Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL)

Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL) is a global initiative committed to advancing representation, enriching the experiences, and amplifying the leadership impact of executives in leadership roles across industries and sectors. Our mission is to cultivate community, connection, and collaboration so Black Afro-diasporic leaders have the support to thrive in leadership, transform systems, and uplift their communities. We work with those who self-identify as Black and female, and whose phenotype is socially recognized as Black within their communities. This includes women from the African continent and its global diaspora.

Our impact so far

Through collaboration with senior executives, coaches, and well-being experts, we developed and piloted a fellowship program (2023–2024) working with 16 senior leaders; working through community actions, reaching over 100 additional leaders across sectors and 15 countries. While fellowships and leadership development programs are common for individuals in various sectors, B-WEL approaches the work in a way that bridges across geographies, sectors, and cultures.

This process helped refine the B-WEL methodology, rooted in four dimensions of power. Our "Four Powers" framework merges professional growth with well-being and collective care which include: “Power From Within”: Clarity and agency, renewed self-awareness and motivation to lead; “Power With Community”: Stronger networks and alliances that sustain and advance their work; “Power to Do”: Expanded skills, practical tools for navigating institutional barriers; and “Power to Empower”: Uplifting others, inspiring the next generation of leaders.

Your gift fuels…

• Sustaining our initiative, including our intergenerational work with the Global Rising Executives Network.
• Securing fiscal independence by finalizing our status as an independent international organization and reducing future risks.

Your gift will protect hard-won progress and empower generations of leaders. Let’s ensure they don’t stand alone!