The Hidden Climb
A bold new insight project mapping the real journey to leadership for diverse talent in life sciences.
We’re calling on aspiring leaders, senior leaders, and change-makers to share their experiences... anonymously and honestly so we can collectively understand what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to be rebuilt.
What do we mean by “Senior Leader”?
For this survey, senior leaders are defined as “individuals who hold strategic, high-impact roles, typically with responsibility for teams, budgets, or functions and are one or two levels below the executive team or above”. They may carry titles like Director, Senior Director, Vice President, or equivalent.
Whether you're already in that seat... or working hard to get there, your insight matters.
We’ve heard the headlines. We’ve seen the DE&I dashboards, but data alone doesn’t drive change. This survey captures the lived realities behind the numbers... and turns them into fuel for action.
For organisational leaders
You’ve got DE&I data... but do you know what’s really holding people back?
Most strategies miss the silent blockers. This survey reveals what your dashboards can’t... lived barriers, missed signals, and why talent stalls before the top.
For under-represented talent
You’re capable, ambitious... and still stuck in the middle. Why?
You’re not alone. This is your chance to
name the real blockers... and help reshape
the system for those coming up behind you.
For allies and advocates
You believe in inclusion... but are you driving change... or just watching?
Most strategies miss the silent blockers. This survey reveals what your dashboards can’t... lived barriers, missed signals, and why talent stalls before the top.
COMING SOON
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Insight Survey
Lifting the Lid: Leadership, Barriers & Belonging in Life Sciences
Three-phase rollout strategy
To build a truly representative and actionable insight engine, we’re deploying the
survey in three strategic waves... each expanding reach, influence, and impact.
Phase 1: Inner Circle
Audience: Friends of The Black Sherpa, trusted networks, and early supporters
Goal: Gather 100–150 initial responses
Purpose: Validate the questions, test the flow, and surface early insight themes from underrepresented professionals
Approach: Personal outreach, 1:1 asks, and small group sharing
Phase 2: Extended Network
Audience: DE&I champions, leadership development partners, and friendly organisations open to participation
Goal: Scale to 500+ responses
Purpose: Strengthen patterns across organisations, refine messaging, and build momentum
Approach: Targeted invitations, webinars, inclusion in newsletters, and social content
Phase 3: Industry-Level Momentum
Audience: ERGs, EBRGs, senior sponsors, and cross-sector collaborators
Goal: 1,000+ responses across pharma, biotech, CROs, and health-tech
Purpose: Establish powerful benchmarks, industry-wide trends, and actionable insight for structural change
Approach: Executive sponsorship, strategic partnerships, coordinated rollout through internal comms and leadership cascades