“Digital trust frameworks valued by majority of organisations” reports ISACA

Digital trust is defined as the confidence in the integrity of the relationships, interactions and transactions within an associated digital ecosystem. An early glance at ISACA’s research, which explores attitudes to digital trust, uncovers the benefits of having such a framework in place. Those perceived benefits include an enhanced positive reputation (71%), more reliable data for decision-making (60%), fewer privacy breaches (60%), fewer cyber security incidents (59%) and stronger customer loyalty (56%).

ISACA is meeting these needs by launching a Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework designed to help businesses focus on trust by securely leveraging technology, increasing collaboration, reducing reaction times to unforeseen events, focusing on brand management and improving financial performance through enhanced trust.

“High levels of digital trust ultimately improve financial performance by lowering the risk of the impact of data and cyber breaches and associated regulatory fines,” explained Shannon Donahue, ISACA’s chief content and publishing officer. “Organisations can also derive greater gains from responsible digital investments. The Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework helps with both of these.”

The Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework and portfolio of resources helps organisations understand the practices they can undertake to increase their trustworthiness and reputation by addressing the key components of digital trust: security, privacy, resilience, integrity, quality, reliability and confidence.

People, process, technology and organisation

Following an earlier beta release that enabled ISACA to include expert input from global practitioners around the globe within the final version, the newly released Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework focuses on the elements of people, process, technology and organisation.

It drills down into the domains of culture, human factors, emergence, enabling and support, direct and monitor also architecture to provide organisations with trust factors, practices, activities and outcomes as part of their digital trust journey. The framework is designed to be compatible with many existing frameworks and recognised Best Practice, including COBIT, ITIL, the General Data Protection Regulation and numerous ISO and NIST standards.

“Strengthening digital trust is not just a one-time exercise, but rather a continuous practice of proactive relationship building between enterprises and stakeholders that’s both responsible and profitable, while also addressing underlying ethical questions,” said Rolf von Roessing, member of the ISACA Digital Trust Working Group, lead developer of the new framework and partner and CEO at FORFA Consulting AG.

“Having a framework to guide organisations as they integrate trustworthiness into their technology and business operations ensures that they are covering all ground, minimising risk and maximising impact,” added von Roessing.

“In a tech and business landscape that’s transforming quicker than ever,” observed Erik Prusch, CEO at ISACA, “digital trust is a key differentiator in advancing resilience, reputation and, ultimately, organisational success. Implementing digital trust practices must be intentional. ISACA is equipping enterprises with transformational tools to build trust with their stakeholders and realise positive impacts.”

Interactive guide

ISACA is also publishing an interactive guide designed to assist organisations in effectively using the framework. The Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework Interactive Guide allows end users to explore the content of the framework with 3D modelling, use cases and a visual experience.

A Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework Implementation Guide and the Introduction to the Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework Short Course are also available. Further, ISACA has issued the Digital Trust Board Briefing, available exclusively to members for 60 days, followed by a wider public release.

Later in the year, ISACA will be issuing the Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework Foundation Course and Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework Foundation Certificate.

*To access ISACA’s Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework and resources visit www.isaca.org/digital-trust

**Read more about the five ways in which the Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework can be a difference-maker for organisations by accessing this graphic