Eon and SSE join CBI utility exodus

Eon and SSE have joined a growing number of energy firms to quit the CBI, following the scandal that has rocked the UK’s leading business organisation.

Both companies have told Utility Week that they have put their membership of the CBI on hold.

They join Energy UK, National Grid, Octopus and Scottish Power, which all announced on Friday (21 April) that they will be either ceasing for suspending their CBI memberships after a second allegation of rape at the business lobby group emerged.

A spokesperson at Eon said: “It’s right that these very serious allegations are investigated in the most thorough way and we will be pausing any and all engagements until that process is completed.”

A spokesperson for SSE said: “We have suspended our engagement with the CBI and will be reviewing our membership.”

Last week, the CBI’ s director-general Tony Danker was fired after allegations that he had made inappropriate comments to female staff.

The mass suspension of memberships by companies and trade associations has left question marks over the future of the organisation, which has been the prime voice for UK business since its foundation in the 1960s.

An Energy UK spokesperson said: “Energy UK has decided to terminate its membership with the CBI with immediate effect in light of the very serious allegations that have been reported.

“We know that these allegations will also be shocking and upsetting for the staff at the CBI that we work with. We will review the situation following the completion of the CBI’s investigations and the actions it takes as a result.”

A Scottish Power spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned about these extremely serious allegations and are pausing our membership with the CBI with immediate effect.”

A spokesperson for the Energy Networks Association said the body is not a member of the CBI and has not been so for “some years”.