The boss of the CBI has been sacked and three others suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct in the business organisation
In a statement released this morning the CBI said that Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him.
The Board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the Director General.
Three other CBI employees are now suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations.
The CBI has announced tha Rain Newton-Smith will shortly become its next Director-General.She is currently Managing Director, Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG at Barclays.
The CBI says it is liaising with the police and has made clear its intention to cooperate fully with any police investigations.
Jill Ader, a CBI Board member and Senior Adviser and recent Global Chair of the leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder, will oversee a root-and-branch review of our culture, governance and processes, leading a new sub-committee of the Board alongside its President Brian McBride.
The review will draw on practice in best-in-class organisations addressing culture change as well as underlying processes such as routes for raising concerns, investigations, escalation protocols and responsibilities. It will begin with a listening exercise among CBI colleagues and input from our members and stakeholders to understand what needs to be changed and improved, and how we learn the lessons from what has happened in recent years.
The organisation has also announced that it will create a new, elevated position of Chief People Officer which will sit on its executive committee and report directly to the Board on all matters of workplace conduct and culture. HR director Lauren Adams has agreed to step up into this role on an interim basis.
The current independent and confidential channel outside the CBI for people to come forward with concerns and complaints about workplace conduct will be made permanent.
“The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating. While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better.” said the CBI
“We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories. Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.”
“We wish to thank all those who have had the courage to speak out, through internal or external channels, and encourage them to keep doing so. Our website describes how to do so, providing contact details for specific CBI Management or for an independent third party, whichever route individuals feel more comfortable taking.”
