A growing shift is taking place in the world of cybersecurity: boards of directors are being held directly responsible for failures that expose organisations to breaches, fines, and reputational damage.
A recent CIISec report revealed that 91% of cybersecurity professionals believe ultimate accountability lies with the board—not just IT teams or CISOs. The message is clear: cybersecurity is no longer a back-office technical concern; it’s a critical business risk that demands board-level ownership.
What This Means for Manchester Businesses
Whether you’re an SME in Salford or a larger organisation in Trafford or Stockport, this trend is impossible to ignore:
1. Regulatory pressure is mounting Frameworks like NIS2, DORA, and the UK’s evolving data protection laws are raising expectations around governance and leadership involvement in cyber resilience.
2. Customers and partners demand confidence. A breach today isn’t just a technical hiccup—it can derail contracts, erode customer trust, and damage your local reputation.
3. Insurers are enforcing stricter standards. Cyber insurance providers increasingly expect proof that boards are actively managing risk.
What Boards Should Do Next
1. Acknowledge ownership – Cybersecurity must be treated with the same seriousness as finance, health & safety, or regulatory compliance. Delegation is fine, but responsibility rests with the board.
2. Demand clear reporting – Ask for business-focused risk updates that show impact, likelihood, and mitigation, not just technical details.
3. Integrate compliance into governance – Standards such as ISO 27001 and GDPR explicitly require leadership engagement. Treat them as board responsibilities, not just IT checkboxes.
4. Plan for accountability – With new “failure to prevent” style offences in fraud law, it’s likely cybersecurity negligence could face similar treatment in the future.
How North Signal Helps Boards Lead on Cybersecurity
At North Signal, we specialise in helping leadership teams turn cybersecurity into a governance strength rather than a weakness. Our services include:
1. Board-level briefings on cyber risk, compliance, and regulatory updates.
2. Risk translation – turning technical exposure into business language you can act on.
3. Crisis simulations – tabletop exercises to prepare leadership for data breach scenarios.
4. Compliance integration – ensuring ISO 27001, GDPR, and PCI DSS are embedded into your governance frameworks.
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