CSR

With a human-centred approach to cybersecurity, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve, and we’re proud to use our expertise to make a positive impact on society and the environment.

CSR is woven into everything we do. Alongside our UK parent, Weightmans LLP, we raise thousands of pounds each year for charities close to our heart, while also dedicating our time and skills to pro bono projects.

Community Engagement

We are passionate about supporting educational initiatives and championing cybersecurity awareness for vulnerable groups. Our work spans digital literacy programs, community development projects, and employee volunteerism, with our team encouraged to participate in business-backed CSR days to make a real difference.

Pro Bono Support

At CyXcel, we’re committed to offering our cybersecurity expertise to charities facing critical cyber threats. Through our pro bono program, we provide essential risk assessments, training, and advisory services, enabling these organizations to protect their data and continue their vital work without compromising their funding or mission.

Innovation & Security

We believe in driving innovation while maintaining the highest security standards. As technology evolves, so do the risks. We proactively address emerging vulnerabilities, such as those associated with AI, to ensure our clients are equipped for a secure and resilient digital future. Our goal is to protect sensitive data, maintain trust, and safeguard the digital landscape for all stakeholders.

Employee Well-being & Development

Creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive work environment is a priority at CyXcel. We invest in continuous learning and development, while also focusing on employee health and wellness, ensuring our team thrives both personally and professionally.

Ethical Governance

Integrity, transparency, and accountability are fundamental to our approach. We foster a culture of ethical governance within our own team and the wider cybersecurity community, ensuring our business remains a trusted partner for clients and a force for good in the industry.

By integrating these core CSR values into CyXcel’s business strategy, we strive to create an enduring legacy through our work for clients, employees, communities, and the environment.

Together, we’re committed to building a safer, more sustainable digital future.

Latest CSR Highlights:

CyXcel recently participated in a series of workshops organised by AIG and Greenlight for Girls (G4G) to inspire girls aged 10-15 to explore careers in STEM subjects through hands-on experience and interactions with role models in the field.

G4G, a charity established in 2010, is on a mission to encourage girls of all ages and backgrounds to consider carriers in STEM by enabling them to explore the world of science in fun and exciting ways. Since its inception, G4G has engaged and inspired over 50,000 students from across the world, working with more than 8,000 volunteer role models, including 6 incredible female role models from the CyXcel team.

During this series of events, CyXcel ran a workshop entitled "From Zero to Hacked", an interactive session on the fundamental role of cybersecurity in our everyday lives. The girls got stuck into devising different ways to protect a metaphorical digital castle, including a lava moat and a special dance to authenticate their identity (in real life this would be our software firewalls and password functionality).

The participants also engaged in activities that demonstrated how easily passwords can be hacked using social engineering techniques. For example, sharing personal details such as pet names or special birthdays on social media can make passwords using that information highly vulnerable. The workshop used password hacking tools to show how quickly weak passwords can be cracked and provided guidance on creating strong and secure passwords.

Another critical workshop focused on educating the young 'digital native' students about phishing, smishing, vishing, and whaling. Methods used by hackers to obtain sensitive information through deceptive emails, text messages, or phone calls. The students learned to identify phishing attempts and understood the importance of not clicking on suspicious links or sharing personal information online.

Throughout the workshop, participants had the opportunity to interact with professionals from CyXcel, gaining insight into the various career paths within the cybersecurity field. This interaction helped them challenge common stereotypes about STEM carriers and understand the value of diversity in the tech industry.

The event aimed to empower young girls with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely but also fostered a passion for STEM, paving the way for the next generation of female cybersecurity and technology experts.

This collaboration underscored the importance of early education in cybersecurity and the role of organisations such as Greenlight for Girls in shaping the future of STEM. Through engaging and informative workshops, they ensured that young girls are equipped with the tools and confidence to pursue their dreams in the ever-evolving world of technology.

Thank you Greenlight for Girls and AIG for inviting us along!

One of our recent collaborations was with the great children’s charity Dreams Come True.

According to a recent Cyber Security Breach Survey conducted by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in partnership with the Home Office, around one-third of charities (32%) report having experienced some form of cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months. This rate more than doubles, reaching 66%, for high-income charities with £500,000 or more in annual income.

While cybersecurity is seen as a high priority by senior leadership across 63% of charities, remedial action lags due to cost constraints. Indeed, only 26% of charities conducted cyber risk assessments in the last year despite being one of the primary targets for threat actors.

Dreams Come True, a national children's charity on a mission to deliver dreams to children who have it tough, have been our London office charity for just under two years and Weightmans and CyXcel support them via numerous fundraising initiatives. Due to the intense cyber risks facing charitable organizations, CyXcel offered Dreams Come True 50 hours of pro bono support, focusing particularly on phishing and the external threat landscape.

By far the most common vector of attack is phishing, affecting 83% of charities, and so as part of the project CyXcel recently hosted a workshop for Dreams Come True to improve staff awareness and understanding of this threat, as well as help to secure systems, train staff on simple yet effective methods to maintain cyber hygiene, and ensure they can continue the amazing work they do.

During the project CyXcel also analysed the threat landscape facing the charity, bringing clarity to the nature of attackers and adversarial tactics being deployed. This was followed by a discussion on protective measures (such as email configuration and DMARC protocol to help protect staff), and by actionable guidance on simpler implementations surrounding password control, log-in access, and phishing email awareness.

CyXcel also delivered a detailed advisory with suggestions on spam control using the tools that Dreams Come True have adopted, as well as on countering ransomware and data protection laws that have a direct impact on the charity.

The impact of this pro bono support is far reaching, not only to the charity’s employees but also to the thousands of children counting on Dreams Come True. The charity can now continue the phenomenal work that they do and focus on what matters most: delivering moments of magic with a lasting impact.

Dreams Come True CEO Lisa King, OBE has spoken to the benefits stating, “It is brilliant you have been able to support us – and to do so pro bono is a win for us as not only have we been able to improve our cyber threat/risk knowledge and work towards enhanced cybersecurity, but thanks to your support we have made the funds we raise stretch further.”