Cyber Governance Code of Practice – April 2025
What It Is:
The Cyber Governance Code of Practice (published by the UK Government in April 2025) is a voluntary framework designed to help directors and business leaders take responsibility for cyber risks in their organisation.
Who It’s For:
Board members, directors, and executives in UK-based organisations.
Particularly useful for companies that handle personal data, depend on digital services, or could be vulnerable to cyber threats.
Why It Matters:
Cyber threats are increasingly impacting businesses’ ability to operate.
Many directors don’t feel confident in managing these risks.
The code helps embed cyber risk into corporate governance, like financial or legal risk.
Key Areas of the Code:
1.Risk Management
- Cyber risks should be identified, assessed, and treated like any other business risk.
2. Cyber Strategy
- Leaders must set clear direction and align cyber priorities with business goals.
3. People and Culture
- Everyone in the organisation should understand their role in cyber resilience.
4. Cyber Assurance
- Board members must ensure their organisations can detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents.
Implications for Businesses:
- More board accountability – Directors are expected to understand and lead on cyber governance.
- Cyber will be treated as a strategic issue, not just an IT issue.
- Better practices around training, policies, and incident response will be expected.
- Voluntary for now, but could inform future regulation or legal expectations (especially post-incident).
Next Steps for Businesses:
- Review and align with the code’s principles.
- Assess your current cyber governance practices.
- Train leadership teams on cyber risk management.
- Consider a cyber health check or professional support to improve readiness.
For Full details please view the policy on the .Gov website here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-governance-code-of-practiceÂ
