The Black Executives Network / Le Réseau des exécutifs noirs (BEN/REN)

Welcome to the Black Executives Network Wiki Page

Visitez la page en français : Le Réseau des exécutifs noirs

About

The Black Executives Network / Le Réseau des exécutifs noirs (BEN/REN), was established in July 2020 to support Black executives in the federal public service, while working with the Government of Canada to address issues of systemic and anti-Black racism with a view to making the Canadian public service an institution that is representative at all levels, recognizes talent and leverages it to better serve all Canadians.

The network exists to ensure that the voices of Black executives and employees in the public service are heard and to be an active partner and agent of change in addressing issues of anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in the FPS. BEN/REN provides a credible voice on the identification and response to issues ensuring that Black perspectives are taken into account in government processes and decision-making.

Context

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other federal legislation provide a strong foundation for human rights, equity, and inclusion—protecting Canadians from discrimination. Yet, Black federal public servants continue to face systemic barriers within the federal workforce.

In 2020, global outcry over police brutality against Black communities, combined with Canada’s adoption of the UN International Decade for People of African Descent (UNDPAD) and decades of advocacy, brought anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination to the forefront. The Dr. Zellars Study on Black Executives in the federal public service further uncovered persistent inequities and offered clear recommendations to address them.

These developments—grounded in legislation, international commitments, and federal initiatives such as the Clerk’s Call to Action against Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion—underscore the urgent need for sustained action to dismantle systemic racism and promote lasting change.

The Black Executives Network (BEN/REN) is rooted in these frameworks and committed to advancing anti-racism by supporting the removal of systemic barriers and upholding every federal employee’s right to a safe, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Mission

The Black Executive's mission is to:

Build and sustain a strong, inclusive and influential network of Black executives who are committed to public service excellence, sound stewardship and positive outcomes for all Canadians.
Promote talent management by supporting, mentoring and sponsoring Black executives and aspiring executives.
Exemplify the changes we want to effect in the FPS.
Support the mental health and well-being of Black executives in the FPS.

Priorities

The following priorities represent the areas of work the network will be focusing on and collaborating with senior management and key allies to advance and support the BEN/REN Mission.

Talent Management

Network Communications & Engagement
Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement
Data & Research
Marketing
Mental Health

Committee Structure

Steering Committee Members

The BEN/REN is led by a steering committee of executives involved and engaged in leading the networks initiatives.

Mitos San Diego,Senior Director, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Dienabou Sow, Director, NSERC
Tahanee McKnight, Director General, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Kevin Petit-Frère, Director General, Privy Council Office
Hantz Prosper, Director General, Corporations Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Albert Tshimanga, Senior Director, Shared Services Canada
Judith Bosire, Director, CanNor
Dominic Simon, Executive Director, Black Executives Network

Champions

DM Champion: Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister, Justice Canada
DM Champion: Christine McDowell, Assoc. Deputy Minister, Veterans Affairs

DM Ally Champions

Isabelle Mondou, Deputy Minister, Canadian Heritage
Alex Benay, Assoc. Deputy Minister, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister, Environment and Climate Change
Cliff Groen, Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development

Working Groups

Working Groups (WG) are formed from the membership and focus on priority areas as required. The Working Groups report to the steering committee and are supported by the secretariat in the development of work plans and the delivery of activities based on input from BEN/REN members.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement
Research and Data
Talent Management, Mental Health, Leadership and Learning

Accomplishments

Since July 2020, BEN/REN has developed a mandate and mission statement, recommendations to address anti-Black and systemic racism, and an engagement strategy. In addition, of a number of initiatives including:

Annual Deputy Minister Panel discussion on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion for Black executives in support of the Clerk’s Call to Action.
Ongoing engagement with the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council (PCO) to discuss priorities for the government’s anti-Black racism, diversity and inclusion agenda.
Engagement with TBS-OCHRO on developing measures to support Executive Talent management and address career advancement issues of Black public servants.
Advance efforts through partnerships with APEX, CSPS, and PSC to develop Black-centric Executive Coaching and counseling services to support professional development, conflict resolution, and mental health for Black Executives.
Launch of the 4th edition of the Black Executive Professional Profiles e-Binder to raise awareness of available talent, and support more equitable representation of Black leaders at senior levels of the executive ranks.
Launch of the 4th edition of the Black Future Leaders e-Binder for Aspiring Black Executives in an effort to support and build the EX pipeline and to spotlight promotion ready Black employees across government.
Commissioned the first research study on the experience of Black executives in the federal public service. Leading broad engagement with senior leaders on the Action Plan in response to the research study.

Ongoing participation in the development of people management policy recommendations, responses, and leadership programs for Black executives as well as developmental programs for aspiring Black executives to close the representation gap in the federal public service.

First Annual Report (2022-2023)

It is with profound joy that we share with you our first annual report. Over the past three years, the Black Executives Network has sought to create a network that provides Black executives in the federal public service with a sense of community, while working with the Government of Canada to address issues of systemic anti-Black racism in the public service. In this report, we share with you BEN/REN’s stories, achievements, challenges, and our collective joys.

We have made positive strides but there remains much more to be done. We are committed to creating the conditions that will enable Black executives to flourish and ensure that the federal public service is representative, equitable and inclusive for Black talent.

We invite you to read the report: BENREN Annual Report.

Second Annual Report (2023-2024)

The Black Executive Network is proud to announce the release of our Annual Report 2023-24, showcasing the significant strides we have made in the past year in supporting the careers of Black Executives within the federal public service.

Our achievements reflect our commitment to creating pathways for growth, fostering leadership, and closing the representation gap in the federal public service.

We invite you to read about our progress and join us in shaping a brighter future.

Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/edVKZ2jn

A Study on The Black Executive Community in The Federal Public Service - Full Report

A Study on The Black Executive Community in The Federal Public Service

The Black Executives Network/Le réseau des exécutifs noirs (BEN/REN) is pleased to share A Study of the Black Executive Community in the Federal Public Service, authored by Dr. Rachel Zellars and released in November 2024. This pivotal report was commissioned in 2023 in response to an existing perception that the Black executive community lacked the education, language, or citizenship qualifications necessary to achieve workforce representation aligned with workforce availability.

As a community of fewer than 100 Black professionals at that time, we knew deeply that these were not the true barriers holding us back. This disconnect revealed widespread misconceptions and a lack of understanding about the lived experiences and realities of Black executives.

Inspired by the transformative impact of Many Voices One Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation, which shed light on the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples within the federal public service; Dr. Zellars, a lawyer and associate professor, recognized for her critical work on implicit bias was commissioned by BEN/REN to undertake a study to critically examine and document the experiences, barriers, and opportunities within the Black executive community within the Federal Public Service. Recognizing the internal nature of the study, the initial release was limited, as the findings required an internal response from the federal public service.

Since releasing the study internally, we have observed a growing interest from individuals and organizations outside the public service wanting to read the report and better understand the issues it highlights. In response to this interest, we are now sharing the study more broadly, hoping it fosters meaningful dialogue and inspires collective action toward equity and inclusion.

Read the full report here: A Study on The Black Executive Community in The Federal Public Service

Resources

Leadership Development Inventory: Leadership Programs for both executives and future executives

A list was compiled with information from Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Human Resources and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on the leadership programs available to executives and aspiring executives. This includes conferences, certificates, workshops and more. Have a look here.

If you know of any more and would like to share with BEN/REN, please send us an email!

How to be involved

Membership in BEN/REN is open to people of African descent who are Federal Public Servant executives (at the EX 01 level and above, or are acting for one year or more in an EX position). If you fit that description, please consider becoming a member. BEN/REN currently has over 260 members Canada-wide. Being a member will give you the opportunity to stay connected and explore opportunities for further engagement. You will have access to our upcoming events and will have opportunities to contribute to BEN/REN's mandate.

To join, please subscribe to our mailing list by sending us your name, title, level, city of work and department/agency to BlackExecutivesNetwork-ReseaudesExecutifsNoirs@ised-isde.gc.ca

Self Identification

We encourage all Black employees to self-identify in surveys and employment processes to give BEN/REN and the government an accurate picture of Black representation and experiences in the public service

Contact us

GC Collab: The Black Executives Network / Le Réseau des exécutif noirs (BEN/REN)

GC Connex: The Black Executives Network / Le Réseau des exécutif noirs (BEN/REN)

LinkedIn: The Black Executives Network | Le Réseau des exécutifs noirs (BEN/REN): Overview | LinkedIn

Email: BlackExecutivesNetwork-ReseaudesExecutifsNoirs@ised-isde.gc.ca