"Addressing the Unite the Union & Whitbread Dispute," 19 September 2017

...Since Whitbread resigned as an ETI corporate member after a period of only 18 months, [there has been] a media debate about the company’s decision to quit ETI...

ETI can offer some clarity on the situation from our perspective and reiterate the call for meaningful dialogue with Unite [the union] that we made to Whitbread when they were members. But [it is important to note that] [d]uring their short membership, Whitbread met their obligations [by following the] process [to ensure they have effective ethical business policies and practices in place]...

In the case of Whitbread, while it was meeting its foundation level process obligations, this should not be taken to mean that there were no workers’ rights issues within its business or supply chain... Indeed, Unite raised with ETI a number of serious and worrying allegations concerning Whitbread...

After Unite lodged a formal complaint with ETI...[it] attempted...to get Whitbread to engage in good faith mediation, which sadly failed. Whitbread’s resignation means that the complaint is no longer being pursued...

Even after what has become an animated campaign, [ETI’s Executive Director Peter McAllister hopes] that Unite and Whitbread will find a way to start a process of dialogue...and to find constructive solutions that support decent employment in a sector in which both play an important role.