Government suspends relationship with CBI after claims of sexual misconduct by senior men

The government has ‘paused engagement’ with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) ‘pending the outcome of investigations’ into alleged sexual misconduct by senior CBI staff, according to Treasury sources.

The allegations were brought forward by more than a dozen women who work or worked for the organisation, following separate complaints lodged against CBI Director General Tony Danker, 51, as revealed by The Guardian.

Danker last month stepped down from his role while the unrelated accusations were investigation and apologised for any unintentional offence caused.

A CBI spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We understand the Government’s decision to pause engagement pending the outcome of the independent investigation.

‘Soon after Easter, the CBI board expects to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation.’

It was previously reported that the CBI had postponed all public events as it looked into allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct – including the alleged rape of a woman at a staff boat party on the River Thames.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (R) answers questions with then-CBI Director General Tony Danker (L) at the CBI conference in Birmingham on 21 November 2022. Danker has since stepped down from the role pending an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct among CBI staff

The Treasury, along with ministers from the Department for Business and Trade, will stop working with the lobby group until the allegations are fully investigated.

Fox Williams LLP, a London law firm, has been hired for the independent investigation.

The new allegations brought forward, not related to Tony Danker, include the alleged rape of a woman at a 2019 Thames boat party.

At the same party, a woman claims she was sexually assaulted by a manager. 

The alleged rape victim told The Guardian that her alleged attacker advised her to get counselling rather than pursue the matter. 

The CBI said: ‘We have found no evidence or record of this matter. Given the seriousness of the issue, it is part of the independent investigation being conducted by [law firm] Fox Williams.’ 

A senior manager is separately alleged to have sent explicit pictures to a junior member of staff.

Alleged victims have said that senior managers behaved unprofessionally during their time at the company, making ‘sexualised remarks’ and touching employees.

It was claimed the CBI had a ‘widespread‘ culture of drug use at events, and women claimed to feel ‘pushed’ to drink alcohol.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey cancelled his appearance at the annual dinner scheduled for 11 May in light of the scandal. 

The CBI has since put a temporary pause on external events.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: ‘After Easter, the board hopes to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation and, among other steps, will review this pause in event activity at that point.’

Then-Director General Danker speaks during the CBI’s annual dinner in London, 18 May 2022

The CBI, founded in 1965, is a non-profit organisation which works to promote business interests by lobbying and advising governments.

It claims it campaigns for 190,000 business, consulting across different sectors and furthering equality bids including supporting more people into work. 

Matthew Fell has been appointed as interim Director General since Danker’s decision to step down in March.