© Copyright Acquisition International 2025 - All Rights Reserved.

Article Image - Closing The Gender Gap In Cybersecurity Could Boost UK Economy By £12.6bn
Posted 20th March 2020

Closing The Gender Gap In Cybersecurity Could Boost UK Economy By £12.6bn

Increasing the number of women working in cybersecurity could boost the UK economy by £12.6 billion according to a new report from Tessian, the human layer security company. The report also reveals that closing the 24% gender pay gap in the UK cybersecurity industry, and equalizing women’s salaries to men’s, could add a further £4.4 billion to the UK economy.

Mouse Scroll AnimationScroll to keep reading

Let us help promote your business to a wider following.

Closing The Gender Gap In Cybersecurity Could Boost UK Economy By £12.6bn
cyber security

Increasing the number of women working in cybersecurity could boost the UK economy by £12.6 billion according to a new report from Tessian, the human layer security company. The report also reveals that closing the 24% gender pay gap in the UK cybersecurity industry, and equalizing women’s salaries to men’s, could add a further £4.4 billion to the UK economy.

Tessian highlights the importance of encouraging more women into cybersecurity and identifies the barriers stopping this from happening. After surveying female cybersecurity professionals in the UK and the US, Tessian reveals that a lack of gender balance was far less of a barrier to entry in the UK, compared to the US:

  • 82% of female cybersecurity professionals in the US believe that cybersecurity has a gender bias problem versus 49% of those in the UK. 
  • Just 12% of UK respondents say a lack of gender balance was a challenge at the start of their career versus 38% of those in the US.
  • US respondents were also three times as likely to believe that a more gender-balanced workforce would encourage more women to pursue roles in cybersecurity. 

 

The report sought to identify which other factors were discouraging women from joining the UK cybersecurity industry, and found that:

  • 47% of UK respondents think a cybersecurity skills gap exists because the industry isn’t considered ‘cool’ or ‘exciting’. This opinion was most commonly shared by millennials – 49% vs. 33% of 45-54 year olds. 
  • A lack of awareness or knowledge of the industry was the top challenge female professionals faced at the start of their career, with 53% citing this as a barrier.
  • 45% of women said that a lack of clear career development paths was another challenge at the start of their cybersecurity career, while nearly a fifth (19%) cited a lack of role models.
  • Just 37% of UK respondents say their organisation is doing enough to recruit women into security roles. 

 

Sabrina Castiglione, senior executive at Tessian said, “For organisations to successfully recruit more women into security roles, they need to understand what’s discouraging them from signing up beyond just gender bias. We need to make women in cybersecurity more visible. We need to tell their stories and raise awareness of their roles and experiences. And once through the door, managers need to show these women the opportunities available to them to progress and develop their careers.”

When asked what would encourage more women to consider a career in cybersecurity, over half of UK respondents (53%) said there needs to be more accurate representations of the industry in the media. This was followed by the need for more cybersecurity specific curriculum at universities (49%) and apprenticeship programs (25%). 

In the report, Tessian interviewed Shamla Naidoo, former CISO at IBM, who said, “To many people, cybersecurity equates to – and is limited to – someone in a hoodie bent over a keyboard in a dark room. That’s not the case at all. If we don’t expand beyond that, we’ll lose out on even more people in the industry.” 

In addition to huge economic benefits, there are other rewards for women working in cybersecurity. 93% of the women surveyed in the report feel secure or very secure in their jobs, with over half (56%) believing that cybersecurity is one of the most important industries today as cyber threats become more advanced. 

Castiglione added, “The future of cybersecurity needs diversity. 2019 was the worst year on record for data breaches, with 61% of organisations reporting a breach as a result of human error or malicious activity. With data breaches rising year on year, and with cyber threats continually evolving, we need different ideas and approaches to solving security problems if we are going to keep people and data safe.”

 

Read the full report and discover the stories of cybersecurity professionals at some of the world’s biggest organisations here: Opportunities in Cybersecurity 2020.  

Categories: Leadership, News


You Might Also Like
Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Why Legal Guidance Is Must-Have For Italian Dual Citizenship Aspirants
Legal
19/10/2022Why Legal Guidance Is Must-Have For Italian Dual Citizenship Aspirants

Italian dual citizenship is trending because the country has immense benefits for immigrants. Relocation to Italy opens up an incredible lifestyle where you get quality education, excellent healthcare, and opportunities to work in business or profession.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Purpose, Vision & Direction
Leadership
06/06/2017Purpose, Vision & Direction

Elateral enables brands in all industries to maintain high levels of relevance, quickly and affordably, and within brand compliance by automating content production across all formats. CEO of the Month – USA award winner Perry Kamel spoke to us about how he

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Exited Deep Tech Founders Turned Investors Forge VC Powerhouse
M&A
23/05/2024Exited Deep Tech Founders Turned Investors Forge VC Powerhouse

SCVC, an UK early-stage deep tech venture capital firm, has appointed John Williams as its partner – a move that unites two of the country’s most successful deep tech founders for the very first time.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Key Player in the Philippine Legal Industry
Legal
20/03/2019Key Player in the Philippine Legal Industry

MOSVELDTT Law Offices is full-service firm grounded on legal competence and distinguished by their uncompromising work ethic. Recently, the firm found success in AI’s Global Excellence Awards 2019. On the back of their win, we profiled the firm and spoke to

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Top Reasons to Hire a VA Disability Attorney for Your Claim
News
03/01/2024Top Reasons to Hire a VA Disability Attorney for Your Claim

If you’re a veteran, you know how crucial VA disability benefits can be. They’re a lifeline for those who’ve served our nation and may now face service-connected disabilities. They are a vital means of accessing financial and medical support

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
One of Africa’s Largest Financial Services Groups
Finance
11/10/2017One of Africa’s Largest Financial Services Groups

One of Africa’s Largest Financial Services Groups

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
10 Steps to Take to Start Your Own Trucking Business
News
23/05/202310 Steps to Take to Start Your Own Trucking Business

Starting your own trucking company offers a unique opportunity to carve out a niche in the ever-expanding transportation and logistics industry. As an owner, you can enjoy the freedom of being your own boss while reaping the benefits of meeting rising demands

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Marvels in Medical Malpractice
Legal
08/02/2021Marvels in Medical Malpractice

Injuries can be an incredible challenge to tackle, but finding the right lawyer to handle the case that follows can make all the difference. Joseph P. Awad has built a strong reputation for himself that has led to his being named as Leading Personal Injury and

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Brazil’s Go-To Boutique Law Firm
Legal
31/08/2016Brazil’s Go-To Boutique Law Firm

Based in Brazil, Maristela Basso Lawyers have become nationally renowned for their highly specialised legal services.



Our Trusted Brands

Acquisition International is a flagship brand of AI Global Media. AI Global Media is a B2B enterprise and are committed to creating engaging content allowing businesses to market their services to a larger global audience. We have a number of unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience.

Arrow