BP tightens rules on staff relationships after boss sacking

On Monday, the company said that it had updated its conflict of interest policy after looking at comparable organisations and good industry practice.

Previously, employees were only required to disclose and record family or intimate relationships at work if they felt there could be a conflict of interest.

The new policy came into effect at the beginning of June and the changes reflect “the influence that leaders have”, BP added.

Rachel Suff, wellbeing and employee relations adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said that formal policies on relationships are more common in the US than in the UK.

Many employers will take a “common-sense approach”, but she said that any relationships between managers and employees would be a clear conflict of interest and should be reported as they could create risks around confidentiality and fairness.

Mr Looney had spent his career at BP, which he joined in 1991 as a drilling engineer.

Born in Ireland and raised on a farm, he became a member of its executive team in 2010.

He had presented himself as more approachable, posting pictures of smiling employees on Instagram when he took over as chief executive in 2020.

However, he faced scrutiny for watering down targets on cutting net carbon emissions.

His departure from BP also came at a time when executives at high-profile organisations such as the CBI faced questions over their personal behaviour.

For senior managers in particular, “it’s vital that their behaviour is respectful and professional at all times”, Ms Suff added.