Cyber Governance: Why Boards Need to Take the Lead

For most businesses today, digital technology is fundamental to operations. With that comes the growing reality that cyber security is no longer just an IT issue – it’s a business owner and board-level responsibility.

Managing cyber risks effectively is now as essential as managing financial, legal, or operational risks. Increasingly complex supply chains and evolving threats make strong cyber governance critical not just for resilience, but for business continuity and sustainable growth.

To provide support in this area, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), working alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and industry experts, has developed a set of resources.

While these resources have not been specifically designed for smaller businesses, the practical insights contained in the guidance can be useful to businesses of all sizes.

The resources are split as follows:

• Cyber Governance Code of Practice – sets out the most critical governance actions that directors need to take ownership of.

• Cyber Governance Training – confirms why and how board members take those actions.

• Cyber Security Toolkit for Boards – underpins the above two, providing in-depth support.

These tools are designed to be practical, with input from organisations like NEDonBoard to ensure relevance for board members.

While many businesses will already have some cyber security measures in place, these resources aim to help boards review whether governance structures are sufficiently robust – and, if necessary, strengthen them.

Good cyber governance is not just about compliance; it can also improve resilience of your business, protect your reputation, and put you in a better position for growth in a digital economy.

To review the guidance, see: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyber-governance-for-boards/overview