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    • Nov 7, 2023

Why should your charity implement Cyber Essentials?

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials helps you make your business more resilient against a cyber-attacks. Achieving Cyber Essentials allows you to guard your organisation against the most common cyber threats and helps you to demonstrate your commitment to cyber resilience for your customers and staff.


Cyber Essentials is a simple and effective Government-backed scheme, supported by industry experts and the Cyber Resilience Centre Network, that will help you put measures in place to protect your organisation, regardless of size or sector, against a range of the most common cyber-attacks. This includes protecting against threats such as malware, ransomware and phishing. Cyber Essentials can be achieved through two levels of certification, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. Find out more about these here.


What are the benefits of Cyber Essentials?

  • Demonstrates a professional approach to business and the importance cyber security.

  • Peace of mind knowing that your data is protected and your security systems are robust, should a cyber-attack occur.

  • Further business opportunities, Cyber Essentials will enable you to tender for specific contracts.

  • Eligible for free cyber insurance cover which could save you up to £25,000.

  • Cyber Essentials certificates issued in the previous 12 months will be displayed on the NCSC website.

  • Being certified will help new customers to trust you and allow you to stand out from competitors as a more credible company.

  • Gain a clear picture of your charities cyber security level using the self-assessment questionnaire.

Why are charities a target for cyber-attacks?

Charities are sitting on a data treasure trove. Valuable information on beneficiaries, supporters and volunteers as well as invoice and payment details can be sold by cyber criminals and used to identify other targets.


In the present digital, post-COVID age, trust and cyber security are interwoven. By achieving Cyber Essentials, a charity can demonstrate commitment to cyber security and protection of customer data.


What is the Cyber Essentials discount available during Charity Cyber Security Awareness Week?

Between the 6th-10th November, IASME will be working closely with the NCSC, partners and Certification Bodies to educate charities about the cyber threat they face and to inform them about the benefits of Cyber Essentials.


A package of support, advice and guidance will be offered to charities, along with a discount to the price of Cyber Essentials certification for registered charities to help them achieve Cyber Essentials. The discount is as follows:


How does it work?

  • You will need to give your registered charity number to your chosen Certification Body, and they will check it against the Charity Commission Register.

  • You must apply for your Cyber Essentials certification during our Cyber Essentials for Charities week, which starts on the 8th of November. Cut off will be 5pm on 12th November.

  • You must start the process within one month of application and must have completed and submitted the assessment by 12th May 2022.

  • If these conditions are not met, IASME and/ or participating Certification Bodies reserve the right to invoice the previous discount or require the charity to re-apply at full cost.


Terms and Conditions:

  • You will need to give your registered charity number to your chosen Certification Body, and they will check it against the Charity Commission Register.

  • You must apply for your Cyber Essentials certification during our Cyber Essentials for Charities Awareness Fortnight, which starts on the 6th November. Cut off will be 5pm on 17th November.

  • You must start the process within one month of application and must have completed and submitted the assessment by 17th May 2024.

  • If these conditions are not met, IASME and/ or participating Certification Bodies reserve the right to invoice the previous discount or require the charity to re-apply at full cost.

The SECRC’s works with a network of Cyber Essentials Partners who are official providers of Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Certification to our local businesses and charities.


The following SECRC Cyber Essentials Partners who will be taking part in offering the discount are listed below. Please visit their websites to register your interest in gaining your Cyber Essentials certification.

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