CBI EXODUS
Industry giants quit group after second rape claim revealed
MAJOR firms began quitting the Confederation of British Industry yesterday after it was rocked by a second rape claim.
The future of the business lobby group was thrown into doubt amid an exodus of members, who make up the bulk of its income.
Insurance giants Aviva, Zurich UK, Phoenix, Vitality and trade body the Association of British Insurers cancelled their membership amid sexual misconduct allegations against senior CBI figures.
The People’s Partnership, which has six million members, also pulled out. So too did John Lewis, Mastercard, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone and brewery Adnams.
Those to have paused dealings include National Grid, AstraZeneca, Unilever, ITV, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Shell, Asda, Tesco, M&S, Scottish Power, Facebook owner Meta and The British Beer and Pub Association.
Banks HSBC, NatWest, Lloyds and Barclays also reportedly suspended memberships. The exodus last night forced the CBI to announce it was suspending all membership and policy activity until a meeting of its members in June. It followed a report in The Guardian saying it was contacted by a woman who alleged she was raped by two male colleagues when employed at an overseas office of the CBI.
This came after a previous claim by a member of staff who alleged she was raped by a manager on a boat trip on the River Thames in 2019. Aviva yesterday said: “In light of the very serious allegations and the CBI’s handling of the process, we believe the CBI is no longer able to fulfil its core function – to be a representative voice of business.”
The Guardian also detailed claims by a woman of stalking by a male colleague at the CBI’s London offices. It said the CBI launched a probe and upheld a finding of harassment.
The City of London police is investigating claims by more than a dozen women about misconduct by CBI bosses.
CBI president Brian McBride called the latest allegations “abhorrent”, adding: “We are rightly undertaking an urgent root and branch review of our culture.”
The CBI is due to receive a report from law firm Fox Williams today into a range of allegations.
Tony Danker, sacked as director general last week over claims about behaviour towards staff, said he was made a “fall guy” for a wider crisis at the lobby group.
We will undertake a root and branch review
BRIAN McBRIDE PRESIDENT OF THE CBI