Future CEOs, erased: the economic cost of losing Black women in the workforce
Briefly

In 2025, nearly 300,000 Black women left the labor force, leading to a significant decline in workforce equity and economic stability. Historically, Black women have been essential to America's economic engine, yet their current exodus threatens long-term corporate succession and innovation. Representing just 6.4% of the workforce and only 0.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs, Black women are facing a leadership gap. This decline, particularly between February and June 2025, resulted in an estimated $37.2 billion loss in GDP and an imminent corporate succession crisis as companies lose vital talent and future leaders.
In 2025, almost 300,000 Black women exited the labor force, indicating a strategic failure with long-term consequences for workforce equity and economic stability.
Black women, historically the backbone of America's labor force with the highest participation rates, are now disappearing at an alarming rate, directly threatening corporate growth.
The representation of Black women in leadership is critically low, with them making up only 0.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs, highlighting a severe pipeline collapse.
The recent decline in Black women in the workforce equates to an estimated $37.2 billion loss in GDP, underscoring the financial impact of this exodus.
Read at Fortune
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