Corporate digital identity: the forgotten pillar of the digital ID discussion
*Please note that these thought leadership pieces represent the views of the contributing companies and do not necessarily reflect techUK’s own position.
The year 2025 is a turning point for digital identity in the United Kingdom. The January announcement of the GOV.UK Wallet and the upcoming Mobile Driving Licence initiative demonstrate the government’s intent to accelerate adoption and embed digital credentials into daily life.
While most attention is directed toward personal digital identity, the corporate dimension is too often overlooked. Yet without a reliable means of establishing and protecting corporate digital identity, markets and supply chains remain exposed to fraud, manipulation, and forgery.
This article argues that corporate digital identity secured through electronic sealing is a backbone for trust in digital services.
The eIDAS framework: a foundational legal and technical benchmark
Although eIDAS is a European Union regulation, the UK adopted it into domestic law after Brexit through the UK eIDAS Regulations. These rules set the standards for trust services such as timestamping, e-signatures, e-seals and archiving, with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as supervisory authority. While UK and EU eIDAS are no longer reciprocal, the EU framework continues to serve as a benchmark in the UK, particularly for cross-border operations where EU recognition remains decisive.
How corporate digital ID differs from personal digital ID
A personal digital identity authenticates an individual, typically through mechanisms such as an eID card, mobile ID, or wallet. A corporate digital identity, by contrast, authenticates a legal entity. It attests to the origin and integrity of documents issued by that entity.
Both are governed by eIDAS rules, but they serve distinct purposes: one protects individuals, the other protects companies and their ecosystem.
Are the challenges the same?
Personal and corporate digital identities are vulnerable to phishing, credential theft, data breaches, and AI-driven impersonation like deepfakes.
Corporations face broader risks: counterfeit invoices and contracts, fraudulent investor communications, manipulated compliance documents… When such frauds succeed, the consequences extend beyond immediate financial loss. They undermine partner confidence, cause reputational harm, and can destabilise confidence across entire markets.
Corporate risks linked to digital ID fraud
The scale of the problem is well documented. The Regula Deepfake Trends 2024 report found that more than 90% of companies worldwide reported financial losses from deepfake attacks, while over half had experienced fraud through falsified or modified documents.
Recent UK cases highlight the danger. In 2024, Arup, the British engineering firm, disclosed that it had fallen victim to a major deepfake fraud. An employee was deceived into transferring the equivalent of £20 million following a video call in which criminals impersonated senior executives using deepfakes video and audio. The fraud demonstrated how convincingly false digital identities can be deployed to trigger substantial financial transactions.
The same year, WPP’s CEO Mark Read was targeted in an attempted deepfake impersonation. Criminals used a cloned voice and public footage to create a false presence in a Teams meeting and on WhatsApp. The attack was foiled, but it confirmed that even the most security-aware organisations are now in the sights of identity fraudsters.
Together, these incidents show that corporate digital identity is vulnerable to manipulation both through advanced AI tools and through falsified documents with potential high damage.
The role of electronic sealing in corporate digital ID
The electronic seal, recognised under eIDAS, is the digital equivalent of a corporate stamp. When applied to a document, it guarantees both
the origin (authenticity) of a document, meaning which legal entity issued the document.
And the integrity meaning that the document has not been altered since sealing.
A seal combines two elements:
a digital corporate certificate (X.509 file) issued by an accredited Certification Authority (CA)
a qualified timestamp, which anchors the seal to a specific date and time.
The result is a PDF document whose authenticity can be verified instantly, using common tools such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Beyond operational assurance, a sealed document using an eIDAS-qualified provider enjoys a presumption of authenticity and integrity. In litigation, the burden of proof is reversed: it is for the opposing party to prove that the document is invalid. For companies, this can provide a decisive procedural advantage in disputes or regulatory reviews.
Towards a resilient and transparent digital economy
In the UK, 2025 marks a decisive moment for digital identity, with government initiatives such as the GOV.UK Wallet and the Mobile Driving Licence reshaping how citizens authenticate themselves online. But corporate digital identity deserves equal attention. Electronic sealing is an effective way for organisations to safeguard the authenticity and integrity of their documents and strengthen their defences against fraud and impersonation.
Solutions already deployed by trust service providers such as Evidency demonstrate that these tools are practical, scalable, and legally recognised.
Integrating corporate digital ID into the national conversation is a strategic step toward building a more resilient, transparent, and trustworthy digital economy.
Author
Stephane Père
Managing Director, Evidency
Stephane Père
Managing Director, Evidency
Digital Identity programme activities
Digital identities will provide a gateway for citizens and SMEs into the digital economy. techUK members demonstrate the benefits of digital identity to emerging markets, raise their profile as thought leaders, influence policy outcomes, and strengthen their relationships with potential clients and decision-makers. Visit the programme page here.
techUK's Digital ID Summit 2025
Join us on 13 October 2025 for techUK’s Digital ID Summit — a key event bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to shape the future of digital identity in the UK. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation driving trust, security, and innovation.
Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
Associate Director - Technology and Innovation, techUK
Laura Foster
Associate Director - Technology and Innovation, techUK
Laura is techUK’s Associate Director for Technology and Innovation.
Laura advocates for better emerging technology policy in the UK, including quantum, future of compute technologies, semiconductors, digital ID and more. Working alongside techUK members and UK Government she champions long-term, cohesive, and sustainable investment that will ensure the UK can commercialise future science and technology research. Laura leads a high-performing team at techUK, as well as publishing several reports on these topics herself, and being a regular speaker at events.
Before joining techUK, Laura worked internationally as a conference researcher and producer exploring adoption of emerging technologies. This included being part of the team at London Tech Week.
Laura has a degree in History (BA Hons) from Durham University and is a Cambridge Policy Fellow. Outside of work she loves reading, writing and supporting rugby team St. Helens, where she is from.
Elis joined techUK in December 2023 as a Programme Manager for Tech and Innovation, focusing on Semiconductors and Digital ID.
He previously worked at an advocacy group for tech startups, with a regional focus on Wales. This involved policy research on innovation, skills and access to finance.
Elis has a Degree in History, and a Masters in Politics and International Relations from the University of Winchester, with a focus on the digitalisation and gamification of armed conflicts.
Stéphane Père is the Managing Director of Evidency. Formerly the Chief Data Officer at The Economist Group, he has over 20 years of international experience in technology and media.
