From Compliance to Commitment: Moving Beyond the Checkbox Mentality

Over the years, I've witnessed a transformation in the way organisations approach information security. While the early days of regulation were marked by a rush to meet minimum standards, often summed up as “ticking boxes”, the evolving threat landscape and heightened stakeholder expectations demand something more substantial: a cultural shift from compliance to commitment.

The Pitfalls of a Checkbox Approach

Compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIS2, and GDPR are critical. They provide a valuable baseline and help align security efforts across industries. However, viewing these regulations solely as hurdles to clear or certificates to hang on the wall misses the point.

A checkbox mentality may achieve technical compliance, but it often overlooks the nuances of real risk. Security controls become static; audits become performative. Worse, it can foster a false sense of security, where "passing the audit" overshadows "protecting the organisation."

Commitment: A Cultural Imperative

Moving beyond compliance means embedding security into the fabric of the organisation. It’s not just about policies and procedures — it’s about people, behaviours, and mindset.

Commitment means:

• Treating risk management as a continuous process, not an annual event.
• Empowering teams with the knowledge and authority to make secure decisions daily.
• Aligning InfoSec strategy with business objectives, not just regulatory ones.
• Creating open channels for reporting and learning from security incidents, without blame.

In short, security becomes a shared responsibility, not the remit of a single department.

The Role of Leadership

A Head of Information Security must lead by example. It’s her role to influence beyond her domain, advocating for secure-by-design principles, translating technical risk into business language, and building trust across departments.

True leadership in security isn’t just about enforcing policies; it’s about inspiring action. When executives, developers, and front-line staff all see their role in securing the organisation, that’s when we move from compliance to commitment.

Practical Steps Towards a Committed Culture

1. Educate, Don’t Just Train: Awareness campaigns should engage, not bore. Tailor content to roles and risks.
2. Measure What Matters: Look beyond audit scores. Track metrics like incident response times, user engagement in phishing simulations, and adoption of secure development practices.
3. Foster Collaboration: Bring security into the conversation early, especially in IT projects and product development.
4. Reward Positive Behaviour: Celebrate teams who demonstrate good security practices. Recognition reinforces commitment.

Conclusion

Regulations are necessary, but they are only the starting point. True resilience comes from a culture where security is not just mandated, but embraced.

Let’s stop treating compliance as the finish line and start seeing it as the foundation. The real goal is commitment: to our customers, our colleagues, and the long-term health of our organisations.