How we're delivering on the commitments made in our prospectus for a renewed CBI.
07 Sep 2023, 5 min read
Key takeaways
- Get the detail on the commitments made in our prospectus for a renewed CBI.
- See how we are performing against our one-, three- and six-month milestones.
At our EGM on 6 June 2023, we committed to a programme of change with associated milestones.
Our scorecard for change lays out how we will deliver our change programme in the months ahead. It's your opportunity to hold us to account. We're already making good progress against our milestones, so here we outline and track the significant steps we've taken so far.
If you'd like a reminder of our milestones, download the CBI's prospectus.
People and Culture
Our one-month milestones
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Inaugural meeting of the external expert Culture Advisory Committee
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Start roll out of refreshed best-practice management training
Our three-month milestones
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Develop new co-created values, with a focus on identifying ways of translating these values into behaviours and conduct expectations
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Ensure a focused and accountable leadership team that reflects the skills to deliver the cultural change we need
Summary of progress over the last three months/since our EGM:
Inaugural meeting of the external expert Culture Advisory Committee
- We identified and contacted external experts to set up the Committee. The first meeting took place on Friday 28 July, with the below attendees:
- Jill Ader, CBI Board Member and Committee Chair
- Elizabeth Wallace, CBI Chief People Officer
- Elizabeth Broderick, UN special rapporteur and sexual discrimination commissioner
- Fay Maxted, OBE, CEO for The Survivors Trust
- Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO, Mind
- Dr Ian Peters, MBE. Director, Institute of Business Ethics.
- The next meeting is confirmed for 5 October.
Start roll out of refreshed best-practice management training
- All staff have completed a mandatory training module – Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- We've started the rollout of new best practice policies, with supporting communications for all staff. We've delivered a new Alcohol & Drug Misuse Policy, and updated policies covering: disciplinary; grievance; anti-discrimination; bullying and harassment; whistleblowing, and complaints, all supported by FAQ documents
- Management training on these is scheduled for September, once our organisational restructure has been implemented. The tracker for percentage completion will be updated as this progresses.
Develop new co-created values, with a focus on identifying ways of translating these values into behaviours and conduct expectations
- We’ve agreed the approach and timeline for the co-creation project with the CBI’s Executive Committee
- Preparatory work has been completed by the project team ready for the all-staff values co-creation meetings, which begin w/c 18 September
- There’ll be further sessions later in the month, with the goal to agree the new values and communicate them out by early October.
Ensure a focused and accountable leadership team that reflects the skills to deliver the cultural change we need
- We’ve implemented the new organisation design and have appointed individuals into leadership roles
- In September, the training plan for our managers will be finalised and rolled out across the business
- CBI organisational objectives, with a specific focus on values, leadership and cultural transformation, have been developed and signed off by the Executive Committee and will be cascaded to colleagues on 11 September
- We’ll re-introduce a performance management framework ready for Q4 and end-of-year discussions.
Governance
Our one-month milestone
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More comprehensive performance and people metrics, and reporting procedures
Our three-month milestones
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Board refresh
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External governance review
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Renewed terms of reference for the Board and Audit Committee
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Revised national Council and Committee structure
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People and Culture sub committee established
Summary of progress over the last three months/since our EGM:
More comprehensive performance and people metrics, and reporting procedures
- We've improved reporting accuracy and efficiency by using a series of dashboards, which will develop to be more user friendly and encourage self-service
- We've reviewed the current metrics our Executive Committee use to ensure these are fit for purpose and comprehensive enough
- We've reviewed the way in which these metrics are reported, and the time allocated to their reporting to ensure we are getting the most out of the metrics we already have in place, whilst working closely with our People/HR team to ensure there is minimal duplication.
Board refresh
- Anna Marks and Vivian Hunt have left the CBI Board (unrelated to events of 2023)
- Victoria Cochrane has joined the CBI Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the newly revamped Audit and Risk Committee.
External Board assessment
- The Board review workstream has been paused while the external governance review is underway
- On the completion of the external governance review the Governance team and CBI President will review the findings and recommendations and begin a formal Board review as appropriate.
External governance review
- The main reforms to the CBI’s governance will come in any recommendations from the formally commissioned external review being conducted by Ffion Hague
- On 29 August 2023 the CBI Board received and discussed the findings from the external governance review from Ffion
- The discussion focussed on key recommendations around the Board reporting back into the CBI Chairs' Committee, the creation of a Senior Non-Executive Director role and an elected Chair of the Chairs' Committee to be separate from the CBI President.
Renewed terms of reference for the Board and Audit Committee
- The Terms of Reference for the Audit and Risk Committee have been reworked and agreed with a greater emphasis on risk and compliance
- Victoria Cochrane has completed an induction meeting with various employees from across the CBI.
Revised national Council and Committee structure
- Following an initial review phase, early findings and recommendations have been shared with the CBI’s Executive Committee
- A paper has been developed to take to the CBI membership as part of the Q3 Council round for feedback and input.
People and Culture sub committee established
- The People and Culture committee met for the first time on 29 August 2023 along with Brian McBride, CBI President and Rain Newton-Smith, Director-General
- The committee discussed its Terms of Reference going forward, the results of the latest employee 'pulse check' results and how the CBI Board could engage with CBI staff going forward.
Political Engagement
Our one-month milestone
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Inputting and shaping technical government consultations at an official level – for example, on changes to taxation policy and employment law
Our three-month milestone
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Influencing the political moments that will determine firms’ operating environment – for example, the Autumn fiscal event and the party manifesto processes
Summary of progress over the last three months/since our EGM:
Inputting and shaping technical government consultations at an official level – for example, on changes to taxation policy and employment law
- We've submitted formal consultation responses on:
- Department for Science, Innovation and Technology consultation on AI Governance (30 June)
- Low Pay Commission consultation on the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage (30 June)
- Department for Business and Trade Retained EU Law Bill – Employment Rights (6 July)
- We've attended meetings with senior decision-makers in all major political parties
- We've met with senior decision makers and policy makers in all devolved nations and throughout English regions
- Working-level engagement has resumed with government and the Labour Party – particularly with key decision makers ahead of the Autumn Statement
- We opened ourselves up to scrutiny before the Business and Trade Select Committee.
Influencing the political moments that will determine firms’ operating environment – for example, the Autumn fiscal event and the party manifesto processes
- We've met with senior advisers in Number 10, and key members of the Shadow frontbench team to discuss the CBI’s policy priorities ahead of the Autumn Budget
- We’ve met with the writers of Labour’s manifesto regarding member policy roundtables (dates TBC)
- We’ve got further meeting with Labour officials on the tax roadmap, green growth, and labour market activation
- We’re having ongoing meetings with the Chancellor’s Special Adviser on our budget asks, and on growth.
Purpose
Our one-month milestone
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Communicate to members a refined mission statement, including clarity on: how we will organise the CBI in response; how members engage in its delivery and success; and where we have progressed recommendations on mission and principles to date
Our three-month milestone
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Agree with members the workplan priorities and milestones for delivering the cross-economy mission and headline issues, for the coming six months. This includes: what set-piece activity members and stakeholders might expect to shape with us; and where we have progressed all recommendations to date
Summary of progress over the last three months/since our EGM:
Communicate to members a refined mission statement, including clarity on: how we will organise the CBI in response; how members engage in its delivery and success; and where we have progressed recommendations on mission and principles to date
- Our new mission statement is firmly rooted in the work we did with members before the EGM, reflecting our core strengths and purpose:
- “We serve as the catalyst between industry and government to drive positive change, speaking for businesses of all sizes and sectors across the whole economy, in every UK region and nation, ensuring sustainable growth for the benefit of society.”
Agree with members the workplan priorities and milestones for delivering the cross-economy mission and headline issues, for the coming six months. This includes: what set-piece activity members and stakeholders might expect to shape with us; and where we have progressed all recommendations to date
- We’ve agreed the CBI’s policy teams will focus on four transitions in pursuit of sustainable growth around Net Zero, Future of Work & Skills, Tech & Innovation, and the the Competitiveness of the UK – from the perspective of both the regions and nations but also globally
- We’ve begun the consultation on our future workplan with members, taking proposals to Q3 Council Round where members will provide us with their input on the four ‘pledges’ that will form the priority campaigns for the CBI
- We’ve narrowed the focus of the three projects looking at TAs, regions & nations, and SMEs to better address the challenges that were identified during the member listening and consultation phases. We’ve also developed early proposals to meet these challenges
- We’ve completed a memorandum of understanding on new ways of working in partnership with the TAs, and the objectives for doing so, following input from the Trade Association Council
- We’re elevating the Trade Association Council to advise across all areas of the CBI workplan, highlighting policy areas which would have high impact on TA members, and identifying areas for amplification and partnership
- We’ve agreed proposals to have adequate representation of regional and SME members on all relevant councils to ensure their voice is better represented at all levels
- We’re developing proposals for how we use the insights gathered during the Q3 regional council round, and how these are being used to inform CBI policy positions.
