Today, the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group (NCRCG) has announced that the Information Commission’s Office (ICO) has joined its National Ambassador programme – a significant milestone for the initiative backed by policing and the Home Office.
As a whole economy regulator, spanning the public and private sectors, the ICO’s mission is to build trust in responsible data use and innovation. It does this by giving organisations regulatory certainty on how to use and share personal data securely, reducing unnecessary compliance burdens and promoting the safe, responsible use of new technologies.
As part of its activity, the ICO works with SMEs to support them with their data protection and information security responsibilities. In becoming a National Ambassador, the ICO will be looking to take this engagement further and work with its fellow National Ambassadors – a select cohort of the nation’s largest and most well-established organisations – to raise awareness of cyber resilience amongst SMEs across the country.
In the lead up to this announcement, ICO and NCRCG have collaborated on a series of staff briefings to inform ICO colleagues of the organisation’s new role as a National Ambassador, and the pivotal role they can play in signposting SMEs to the free and affordable support offered by regional, police-led Cyber Resilience Centres. This support will also be highlighted at the ICO’sData Protection Practitioners’ Conference on Tuesday 13 October 2026.
Ian Hulme, ICO Group Director – Regulatory Assurance and Cyber, said:“As cyber threats continue to grow, helping organisations strengthen their cyber resilience remains a key priority for the ICO. We see every day that many cyber incidents stem from organisations not getting the basics right. Helping organisations take practical steps to improve their cyber resilience is one of the most effective ways to reduce harm and protect people’s information.
“We are committed to supporting organisations to protect the personal information they hold, while taking action where poor security practices put people at risk.
“Joining the National Ambassador programme allows us to extend the reach of that work. By collaborating with partners across the cyber security community, we can amplify important messages, connect organisations with practical support and guidance, and demonstrate our commitment to helping businesses build stronger cyber resilience before problems occur.”
Joanna Goddard, Chief Experience Officer at NCRCG, said:
“Welcoming ICO, the UK’s regulatory authority for data protection, into our National Ambassador cohort is a testament to the seriousness with which we and our existing National Ambassadors are taking our mission. Our aim remains to reach as many SMEs as possible to raise awareness of cyber resilience and, to do so, we are bringing on board the most well-established and well-respected UK companies and organisations. Having the backing of the ICO is a significant success for us and we look forward to working with them to shore up our nation’s cyber defences.”
Owned by the City of London Corporation, the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group (NCRCG) is set up to support the Cyber Resilience Centre network – a UK‑wide, police‑led infrastructure, working in partnership with the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to:
- Improve cybercrime resilience across SME supply chains and customer ecosystems
- Support measurable improvements in cyber resilience behaviours
- Accelerate the development of workplace‑ready cyber talent through Cyber PATH
Against a backdrop of increasing supply chain vulnerability and escalating online crime, the National Ambassador Programme provides a unique route for the nation’s large organisations to lead the charge against cyber crime.
You can read more about the National Ambassador programme here.
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