CBI dismisses ‘a number of people’ after sexual misconduct allegations

“We tried to find resolution in sexual harassment cases when we should have removed those offenders from our business,” CBI director Brian McBride said

The CBI has dismissed a number of people (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has dismissed “a number of people” following a series of sexual misconduct allegations made against staff as the influential business group fights to stay alive.

Brian McBride, the group’s president, said that a “small minority of staff” had regressive and in some cases abhorrent attitudes to the women they worked with.

He added that the group had tried to find resolutions when women came forward with allegations, rather than removing the alleged perpetrators from the organisation.

“We tried to find resolution in sexual harassment cases when we should have removed those offenders from our business,” Mr McBride said in an open letter on Monday.

“In retrospect, this last point was our most grievous error, which led to a reluctance amongst women to formalise complaints.

“It allowed that very small minority of staff with regressive – and, in some cases, abhorrent – attitudes towards their female colleagues to feel more assured in their behaviour, and more confident of not being detected.

“And it led victims of harassment or violence to believe that their only option was to take their experiences to a newspaper.”