Dame Sharon White | John Lewis boss survives staff's no confidence vote amid employee-ownership controversy

John Lewis’ chair Dame Sharon White has survived a no confidence vote amid considerations to alter the company’s long-standing employee ownership model.

The company’s partnership council, consisting of 61 staff members, voted in the business' biannual meeting on whether they have confidence in the chair’s decisions in the past year, which she lost.

They also voted on if they have confidence in her leading the business going forward – for this vote, White won a majority.

The outcome of these votes, which were both not enforceable, indicate the uncertain internal state of the company which revealed losses of £234m earlier this year. It also reveals a level of employee dissatisfaction following a year of losses and no staff bonuses.