One of the UK’s biggest business groups has positioned itself to replace the Confederation of British Industry a day ahead of a crunch vote to determine the future of the scandal-hit organization.
(Bloomberg) — One of the UK’s biggest business groups has positioned itself to replace the Confederation of British Industry a day ahead of a crunch vote to determine the future of the scandal-hit organization.
The British Chambers of Commerce announced a new business council including major companies such as BP Plc and London Heathrow Airport and said large corporations were “looking for a different kind of representation.”
The move precedes a crucial vote over the future of the CBI, which has been rocked by allegations of sexual assault — including rape — among its staff. The lobby group, formed by Royal Charter nearly six decades ago, faces collapse unless members back its turnaround plan at an extraordinary general meeting Tuesday.
Read More: Rape Claims Shake UK Political Titan in Warning to All Business
“The voice of business needs to be heard loud and clear, and now is the right time for us to speak up,” said Shevaun Haviland, the British Chambers of Commerce’s director general.
Many large companies won’t take part in Tuesday’s vote despite the CBI welcoming dozens of businesses that suspended membership in light of the scandal. However, German industrial giant Siemens AG is organizing a letter of support for the CBI, signed by companies such as Microsoft Corp.
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