West Midlands-based Hubtel IT today welcomed the launch of a new “Cyber Governance Code of Practice.”
The code aims to help directors and boards manage rising digital threats and support sustainable economic growth.
With cyber attacks rising, the figures speak for themselves: 74% of large businesses and 70% of medium-sized firms experienced breaches in the last year, with cyber threats costing the UK economy £22 billion between 2015 and 2019.
Yet, one-third of large businesses still lack a formal cyber strategy.
Unveiled this week by Cyber Security Minister, Feryal Clark, the code provides clear and practical steps that senior leaders can take to build cyber resilience across their organisations. The guidance encourages firms to adopt a proactive cyber strategy, embed a culture of awareness across teams, and develop robust incident response plans to mitigate damage when attacks occur.
It forms part of a wider package of measures developed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and has already received widespread backing from leading organisations including EY, the Institute of Directors, and the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors.
Minister Clark warned: “A successful cyber attack doesn’t just stop business in its tracks – it can cost millions and damage reputations. If we want to drive growth as part of our Plan for Change, cyber resilience must be front and centre of boardroom priorities.”
Hubtel IT, based in Birmingham, is already making strides to ensure the service it provides its customers is in line with this direction of travel.
Neil Bayliss, founder and CEO of Hubtel IT, said: “We welcome this move by the Government. We’ve always talked about businesses having robust and resilient cyber security measures to mitigate against the risk of cyber attacks. This should be top of every organisation’s agenda.”
Mr Bayliss highlighted the rising threat of AI and the subsequent need for every company to takes steps to guard against the risks it poses.
“The current uptake of AI presents a significant threat and gives hackers greater power to automate cyber attacks,” he said.
“This can sound overwhelming and like you might not know where to start, but the perfect place is ‘Cyber Essentials‘ – a Government-backed certification scheme which helps keep you and your customers’ data safe from cyber criminals.”
The newly announced code is supported by a detailed Board Toolkit, online training, and tailored resources for SMEs, including the NCSC’s Small Business Guide and Cyber Local scheme. This ensures businesses of all sizes can access expert advice and funding to build their digital defences.
Richard Horne, CEO of NCSC, added: “Cyber security is now a business-critical issue, not just an IT concern. Strong governance is essential for long-term success.”
The package is designed not just to prevent attacks, but to support recovery, protect customer data, and maintain trust. It follows recent plans announced by the Technology Secretary for new legislation to secure digital services, public infrastructure, and national supply chains.
For boards and directors, the message is clear: cyber resilience is not optional – it is a core responsibility and an essential part of business success in the digital age.
