The director-general has been forced to stand down amid allegations of misconduct. There are allegations against others inside the organisation of harassment and even rape. And a culture of bullying and misogyny has been revealed. It is just possible that the CBI could be in worse shape. It could have been engaged in satanic rituals, perhaps, or turned out to be funded directly by Vladimir Putin, or short-listed Nigel Farage as its new boss. But it could not be a lot worse.
For an organisation that is meant to represent British business, the last few weeks, culminating in today’s dismissal of Tony Danker, are about as bad as it gets. As a new boss is drafted in, there will be lots of talk of clean-ups, of change, and restoring its reputation, starting with an announcement today in which the CBI apologises to victims for the ‘organisational failure’ and sets out its immediate operational changes. But the real question is this: why bother? The CBI is well past its sell-by date, and the best thing it could do now is wind itself up.
The CBI is well past its sell-by date, and the best thing it could do now is wind itself up
If its members were not already wondering whether to renew their subscriptions, today’s events will have forced them to confront the question.
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