The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has cancelled all upcoming events, including the annual dinner, in light of deepening allegations of workplace misconduct. This came after several British companies publicly announced their decision to review their CBI membership.
The concerns first surfaced when The Guardian published reports alleging sexual harassment, rape, and illicit activities such as the use of cocaine at CBI events. This led to the director-general Tony Danker stepping aside, and the CBI commissioning an independent investigation from the law firm Fox Williams.
Shadow levelling-up secretary Lisa Nandy pulled out of an upcoming CBI event, while pension provider The People’s Partnership – with 6 million members and £20bn assets under management – also spoke out. Other companies, such as LKAB, Rolls-Royce, Marks and Spencer, Aon and Admiral had similarly expressed concerns regarding the allegations. Some private companies even appeared to distance themselves from the CBI, with a senior executive from a FTSE 100 company removing CBI contributions from forthcoming reports.
The CBI has promised to publish preliminary findings and actions from the investigation as soon as after Easter. Meanwhile, CBI President Brian McBride emailed members, expressing the deepest empathy and treating the allegations with the utmost seriousness. Many corporate organisations have suggested the need for an overhaul of the CBI, and the organisation promised to take the best interests of their members into account.
The CBI is a business organisation that represents the leading names of corporate Britain, such as Tesco, Unilever and Barclays. It focuses on improving the business environment in the UK, supporting member companies to be successful and driving economic growth. CBI also works with other organisations to provide support solutions to member companies.
Matthew Fell is the current interim director-general of CBI. He has a good reputation and strong support among the members of the organisation. He has taken on a tougher stance on introducing reform measures after the allegations, reassuring members that the organisation was taking the allegations seriously. He believes in the values of transparency and equality and is committed to bringing about the necessary changes to ensure reform at the CBI.
