The Cyber Agile Organisation: Why cyber security should be seen as a strategic enabler

Fiona Buckley

Technology Divisional Director, Man Bites Dog

Cyber security has long been seen as a necessary defence. But today, it’s much more than that. It’s a strategic enabler that can unlock innovation, accelerate growth and build long-term resilience.

You’ve heard it a hundred times: “security is no longer an IT issue but a business issue”. Recent cyber-attacks targeting household brands have highlighted the urgent need for strong cyber security across every layer of an organisation. With government data revealing that 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months, these incidents are becoming an all-too-common part of the modern business landscape.

For organisations of all sizes, the message is clear: Every business will face cyber threats, but the question is whether you are prepared to withstand them. More than that, can you use cyber resilience to your advantage?

Cyber security vs cyber agility

There is a huge opportunity to do more, better and faster in business. Thanks to artificial intelligence, big data and automation, today’s leaders have an almost unlimited array of digital tools at hand to help them achieve their goals. If they’re going to embrace these opportunities, agility will be essential. But agility without security is a gamble.

A recent study from BT, developed by Man Bites Dog introduced the idea of the ‘Cyber Agile Organisation’. These are businesses that treat cyber security not just as a protective shield or a cost of doing business, but as a platform for innovation and growth. These organisations are using secure digital ecosystems to experiment, collaborate and scale with confidence – and they’re seeing results.

The business case for cyber agility

The benefits of cyber agility go beyond risk reduction; they include stronger customer trust, increased business efficiency and improved collaboration. Cyber Agile Organisations are also more likely than other organisations to have achieved net zero.

The research reveals that the companies that commit to becoming cyber agile perform better on average than those that don’t. Over a three-year period, the businesses in the study with ‘cyber agile’ status achieved 20% higher growth rates than their peers. That’s a powerful argument for treating cyber security as a strategic priority.

The DNA of a Cyber Agile Organisation

So, what sets these high-performing organisations apart? The study scored businesses and public sector bodies across six dimensions of cyber agility.

1. Awareness: Cyber criminals are constantly updating their strategies and tactics in a bid to wrong-foot organisations. In response, organisations must ensure visibility of their cyber risk profile and prioritise proactive mitigation measures to respond to attacks.
2. Compliance: Cyber Agile Organisations stay on the right side of evolving legislation and compliance requirements. Some go beyond, adopting voluntary accreditations and standards to ensure best practice.
3. Connectivity: Secure networks are crucial to protect individuals and safeguard brand reputation. But they also free up people to collaborate across data-heavy apps – the perfect cocktail for fast and sustainable growth.
4. Strategy: Cyber Agile Organisations not only have a robust cyber security strategy in place, but they make sure this lines up with broader business objectives, from digital transformation to sustainability goals.
5. Skills: Cyber Agile Organisations are focused on recruiting, training and retaining a diverse team of skilled cyber security professionals who can help implement cutting-edge strategies. But they’re also investing in building organisation-wide awareness.
6. Innovation: Security can often be considered a blocker to innovation when it should be seen as a complementary force. A cyber agile mindset underpins the quick, confident action that fuels transformation and sustainable growth.

The importance of being agile

Every business, regardless of sector or size, has a choice to make. They can either treat cyber security as a reactive measure, or they can use it as a strategic enabler.

Cyber Agile Organisations are already showing what’s possible. The twin advantage of reducing risk while enhancing performance puts them in the driving seat in a brave new world powered by AI and other game-changing technologies.

By blending robust security protocols with the best new tech, businesses have the opportunity to grow sustainably and mitigate the inevitable risks accompanying any major leap forward.

To find out more about the Cyber Agile Organisation study and share with colleagues, access the benchmarking tool and read the report here.

Resources to help you on your path to cyber agility:

• Cyber Agility Organisation Benchmarking Tool
• The Cyber Agile Organisation Report
• techUK’s Cyber Security Dinner
• techUK’s update on the Cyber Growth Action Plan