How do we know what to ask the government to do? Because business tells us. Our mandate comes from our members. Our councils and committees meet every quarter, engaging 1000 senior business leaders from over 700 CBI member organisations. And members can get involved in a variety of other ways too, feeding into reports, calls for evidence, consultations and more. They have a direct say in what we do and how we do it – our mandate comes from their concerns, their feedback and their ideas. It comes by the week, by the day and - at times - by the hour.
To properly speak for UK business both to government and on the world stage, we have to represent you in your area – on the ground. That’s why we have offices in 13 UK regions; in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; and in five international offices.
We’re a group of experts from all walks of life, passionate about building a better future for UK business. Learn more about the people taking your voice to government and bringing business together to learn from one another.
The Confederation of British Industry is a not-for-profit membership organisation, founded by Royal Charter on 30 July 1965 – meaning we’ve been championing the voice of business for over 50 years..
Because we’re a Royal Charter organisation, we’re governed by the CBI Council – who check that our member mandate is solid and that we’re operating as we should. The Council is made up of the members of our Regional and National Councils and Standing Committees (so your business could be a part of it, if you wanted to) alongside:
“I believe that business is a force for social progress and we are at the service of the communities we work in, and the nation as a whole.”
Tony Danker, CBI Director GeneralSupporting the wider community
Representing UK business goes beyond just speaking to government: we also do what great businesses do – support people and communities. For example, we’ve worked with the Greggs Breakfast Clubs in Scotland, the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber, funding clubs that provide 58,500 breakfasts to children. The CBI has worked with the Social Mobility Foundation and Mencap to provide opportunities and work experience for people from a range of backgrounds. The CBI is also a founding member of Change the Race Ratio: accelerating racial diversity in business by campaigning for change and taking real action.
Environmental impact
The CBI has worked to reduce the footprint of our activities where possible. This includes monitoring our emissions, boosting our recycling capabilities and looking at how technology can reduce our impact on the environment. You can find more details in our Annual Report.
Accreditations and partnerships
We have achieved accreditation with the Good Business Charter, FSQS, Inclusive Employers, The Prince's Responsible Business Network, Social Mobility Foundation, and we are a Disability Confident Employer.
For further information on how the CBI is run, managed and how it secures its mandate to speak as the voice of business, please download the relevant PDF.
Governance and complianceOur Annual Report contains more information on our governance arrangements, key highlights from the year’s activities and details on our financial information. And every year our members are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting.
Annual Report and AGMThe CBI is committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation, attracting and retaining diverse talent which reflects the members and communities we serve.
Gender and Ethnicity Pay GapDiscover how the CBI can help your business to succeed.
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