The Cost of Black Excellence™ Research Institute
Evidence from 1,039 Black professionals documenting the hidden tax of workplace excellence — across four countries, 30+ industries, entry level to C-Suite.
Start with the Executive Summary — free. Then join the waitlist for the full report: the most comprehensive independent study of its kind, with sector breakdowns, all 15 Excellence Taxes, and an organisational transformation framework.
Key findings, the Excellence Tax™ framework, demographic insights, and the organisational cost of inaction — evidence from 1,039 Black professionals.
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The unabridged findings — all 15 Excellence Taxes in depth, sector-specific analysis, participant testimonials, and a full implementation framework. Join the waitlist for first access and an exclusive pre-launch price.
First access + an exclusive pre-launch price. No spam.
Feel they must work harder than colleagues just to be seen as competent
Suppress their identity — voice, hair, emotions, cultural expression — to succeed professionally
Report severe or significant health impacts: anxiety, depression, hypertension, chronic pain, autoimmune conditions
Have considered leaving their role to protect their wellbeing — 23% have already left
Lack access to culturally sensitive support — Black therapists, safe workspaces, or culturally aware leadership
Excess cost per Black professional employed — driven by an exit rate 1.7× the UK average
Black women don't just face imposter syndrome — we often face imposed syndrome. We are misjudged before we introduce ourselves. Our competence is questioned before we open our mouths.
Research participant — Consultant, Age 45–54
The Executive Summary is your starting point. The full report goes further — deeper analysis, all 15 Excellence Taxes, sector-specific breakdowns, and an accountability framework for organisations ready to do the real work.
This research is funded entirely independently — no corporate sponsors, no institutional constraints. The findings serve Black professionals first, providing evidence that affirms their experiences whilst establishing organisational accountability.
Natasha Williams knows the Excellence Tax™ intimately. She paid it for over two decades as a Managing Director in building surveying and property — working harder than colleagues to prove competence, suppressing her identity, and absorbing microaggressions whilst maintaining composure.
In 2019, severe burnout forced the question: what is this costing me? That breakdown became a breakthrough. Natasha retrained as a trauma-informed coach and workplace wellbeing strategist, and built The Cost of Black Excellence™ Research Institute to document what organisations prefer to deny.
This research is independent, rigorous, and uncompromised by corporate funding. It names what has lacked adequate terminology and quantifies what has been dismissed as perception.