CBI president admits he does not know if group will ever regain trust

The president of the embattled CBI has said he is not sure whether it is “possible” for the organisation to recover trust after weeks of damaging allegations about the UK lobby group’s toxic workplace culture.

In an open letter to members, Brian McBride issued a mea culpa to CBI members following an independent report by the law firm Fox Williams into sexual harassment allegations at the organisation.

He admitted the CBI made a “grievous error” in trying to resolve sexual harassment cases instead of removing offenders from the group.

He said that he was outlining “the steps we are taking to give you reason to consider trusting us again”, but added: “Whether that is possible, I simply don’t know.”

McBride’s plea to members came after more than 50 of the biggest names in British business announced they were either cutting or suspending ties with the CBI after a second allegation of rape was published last Friday by The Guardian. 

A four-page summary of the Fox Williams report set out a long list of measures to improve the CBI’s workplace culture, including compulsory training on harassment and bullying.