CBI pushes for director protection
The Confederation of British Industry today urged the government to keep home addresses of all company directors secret to safeguard them against personal attack.
In a written response to a consultation paper issued last month by the Department of Trade and Industry, the CBI called on the government to allow all directors, without exception, to publish business addresses instead of home addresses at Companies House.
It says the practice leaves directors and their families vulnerable to violence and intimidation.
But, under the new Criminal Justice and Police Act, directors would have to convince police they are at risk in order to obtain a confidentiality order exempting them from publishing their home addresses.
John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said: ‘It is not acceptable that company directors and their families should be put in danger when going about a legitimate buisness.
‘The threats are many so publishing home addresses is an unnecessary risk.’The CBI said there are a wide range of people who could pose a threat, ranging from disgruntled ex-employees to violent political activists.
The move follows the personal attacks on the board of the Cambridge-based research company, Huntingdon Life Sciences, by animal rights activities.
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