Businesses that can demonstrate robust cybersecurity are increasingly finding it easier to win business, secure positions on procurement frameworks and move into new supply chains, according to leaders across Cardiff’s public and private sectors.
Financial services, housing and digital infrastructure leaders say cyber resilience has shifted from being a technical concern to a commercial requirement.
Scott Hill, Chief Technology Officer at Hodge Bank, said regulated industries such as financial services have seen expectations tighten significantly. Hodge operates under operational resilience requirements from the Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England, meaning it must evidence not only that systems are secure but that critical business services can continue to function under disruption.
Scott explained that oversight now extends beyond third-party suppliers to so-called fourth parties – the organisations that support those suppliers. Where a software provider relies on a hyperscale platform, for example, due diligence increasingly examines that layer as well. He suggested that this deeper scrutiny is likely to become more widespread.
For smaller firms, he said, there is an opportunity to learn from that model. Hyperscale providers publish clear, structured credentials against recognised standards, allowing due diligence to be completed more quickly. SMEs that organise their own cyber credentials in a similar way can accelerate procurement cycles and strengthen their credibility with larger customers.
Clive Mangan, Head of Digital Transformation at Taff Housing, said the shift is already visible in procurement processes. The housing association, which manages around 1,500 homes and a range of support projects in Cardiff, now treats cyber resilience as a pre-qualification issue.
Clive said that alongside financial standing and insurance, cyber credentials are now required before suppliers are engaged. Where organisations cannot demonstrate appropriate controls, the association may not proceed further. He added that this reflects the reality that services and data are increasingly interdependent, and that resilience must cover both.
Taff Housing is also subject to similar scrutiny from its own partners and government bodies, with Clive noting that being able to evidence maintained procedures and policies is now essential.
David Simpson, Product Manager for Cyber Security at Elevate, said awareness among SMEs is improving, driven in part by high-profile incidents across supply chains. While large-scale malware attacks attract attention, he pointed to phishing and social engineering as the most common entry points for compromise.
David said data remains central to business operations and that operational disruption, rather than harm to infrastructure, often carries the greatest impact.
He also highlighted that SMEs can use their size as an advantage. With fewer legacy systems, smaller firms can often implement cloud-first approaches and patch management routines more quickly than larger competitors. Certification frameworks such as Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, he said, provide a practical starting point for businesses seeking to demonstrate readiness.
Strong cyber foundations are increasingly being positioned as a differentiator, rather than being viewed solely as a defensive measure, the business leaders said – an effort that shortens due diligence processes, builds trust and enables access to larger contracts.
