CASE STUDY: Empowering female-led social enterprises with Cyber Essentials

MIC media is an award-winning podcast production and training agency. The social enterprise was founded in Manchester in 2019 by Vic Elizabeth Turnbull. 

MIC is a one-stop shop for creating impactful podcasts for social impact businesses. They work with good eggs, aka value-led companies, charities, NGO’s, social enterprises, universities, and local authorities to help them to amplify their mission and make a real difference through the power of podcasts. Their recent clients include Oxfam, GM Moving, National Football Museum and Northumbria University.  

Vic, whose career spans the third sector and media production, is a recognised podcast expert, who regularly contributes to the press, panels and talks about podcasting and is a judge for a plethora of podcasting awards. 

Circumstances Prompting Change

MIC media joined 6 other female-led, Greater Manchester-based social enterprises to receive specialist mentoring and support from BAE Systems  Digital Intelligence (external link), Lancaster University (external link) and DiSH Manchester (external link) to achieve a Cyber Essentials accreditation.  

The funding landscape for social enterprises like ours is becoming increasingly competitive. Securing grants, tenders and partnerships demands a strong focus on operational excellence, including robust cybersecurity measures.  

The Cyber Essentials accreditation is a key benchmark, marking our commitment to data protection and responsible information management.  

This focus on security safeguards our clients, and positions us as a more reliable and competitive service provider in the growing social enterprise and podcasting market. 

Without this scheme's support, achieving this accreditation and navigating the challenging funding landscape would have been a significant challenge. 

Beyond the funding requirements, navigating the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity can be daunting. Understanding the specific threats, implementing the right solutions, and ensuring ongoing compliance requires significant expertise. We lacked the internal resources to confidently tackle these challenges and needed an expert steer in the right direction. 

The Power of Collaboration 

The scheme offered by BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, DiSH Manchester, and Lancaster University is a testament to the power of collaboration. Through open conversations with DiSH Manchester, MIC media, and several other social enterprises, the partners identified our specific challenges and opportunities. This commitment to listening and understanding our needs led to the creation of a scheme that directly addressed the barriers faced by social enterprises. 

Preparation and Tracking Progress 

MIC’s participation in the Cyber Essentials scheme required minimal upfront preparation at our end. The scheme provided the necessary resources, including workshops, expert guidance, and mentoring. To track our progress towards achieving Cyber Essentials accreditation, we completed an online questionnaire to assess our current cyber security practices and received a personalised report benchmarking us against the accreditation standards. 

Expert-Guided Implementation 

The scheme offered a structured and very supportive implementation process. We participated in a full-day cyber fundamentals workshop that covered essential topics like threat types, actors, defence strategies, and the NCSC Cyber Essentials Scheme. Following the workshop, we received a personalised report with identified gaps and required changes. A dedicated cyber expert from Lancaster University then met with MIC to discuss the plan for addressing these recommendations. 

Collaboration and Application: 

With the guidance from experts and ongoing communication with our mentor, we implemented the measures identified in the report. Throughout the process, the scheme facilitated open communication and support, ensuring we were well-prepared for the final Cyber Essentials accreditation application. 

Successes and Achievements 

MIC media’s participation in the scheme culminated in a significant achievement – attaining the Cyber Essentials accreditation! This prestigious badge, now proudly displayed on our website and emails, signifies our commitment to robust cybersecurity practices. The process was a valuable experience, allowing us to rigorously assess our existing systems and identify areas for improvement. 

This not only safeguards our present operations but also positions us as a more reliable and secure partner for social impact businesses that entrust us with their stories. 

Future-Proofing for Podcasting Growth 

As MIC media expands within the social impact podcasting space, the implemented security measures will continue to be a crucial foundation for protecting our data and maintaining client trust.  

Challenges and Unexpected Outcomes 

While navigating the intricacies of cyber security presented some initial challenges, the expert guidance provided by the scheme helpfully and effectively addressed them. 

One unexpected outcome of the accreditation process was that our responses in the assessment were not just checked by a computer program, but scrutinised and assessed by a real person! This added layer of human expertise instilled even greater confidence in the validity and credibility of the Cyber Essentials accreditation for MIC media.  

Overall, achieving Cyber Essentials accreditation was a positive and empowering experience. The scheme not only equipped us with a valuable security certification but also fostered a culture of cyber awareness within our agency, allowing us to serve more social impact businesses with greater confidence and security. 

Reflecting on our journey to Cyber Essentials accreditation, several factors stand out.  

First, the guided support and expert feedback provided by BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, DiSH Manchester, and Lancaster University was instrumental. Having access to knowledgeable professionals who could assess our vulnerabilities and recommend solutions was invaluable.  

This personalised approach not only addressed our specific needs but also removed the fear factor associated with cyber security for our team. MIC media gained a deeper understanding of the granular details of cyber threats and best practices. We now have a sense of empowerment and ownership over our cyber security. 

Secondly, achieving Cyber Essentials accreditation goes beyond simply acquiring a badge or using it as a marketing tool. It's a recognised industry credential that signifies our commitment to protecting data. This enhances client confidence and also positions MIC media as a more secure partner for social impact businesses and their podcasts. 

Thirdly, this scheme demonstrates a commitment to listening to the needs of the sector. This collaborative spirit, with a focus on empowering social enterprises, is a key takeaway from this experience. 

By sharing our experience, we hope to inspire other social enterprises to prioritise cyber security and confidently navigate the evolving funding landscape.  

A big thank-you to BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, DiSH Manchester, and Lancaster University. 

The Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub (DiSH) is a consortium led by Barclays Eagle Labs, made up of Barclays, Plexal, Lancaster University and University of Manchester, and recently began offering Cyber Essentials training for female lead social enterprises across Greater Manchester. Cyber Essentials is an effective, Government backed scheme that helps protect organisations, whatever size, against a whole range of the most common cyber-attacks. The accreditation was fully funded through DiSH partnership with BAE Systems. DiSH is key initiative of Greater Manchester’s cyber landscape and is referenced in Greater Manchester's Cyber Strategy 2023-28.