L'Oréal named ambassador to boost SME cyber resilience in UK
L'Oréal UK and Ireland has been named as a National Ambassador for the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group to promote cyber resilience among small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK.
The appointment marks the first time a beauty company has taken up the ambassador role, as L'Oréal UK and Ireland joins a collaboration between the Home Office, policing organisations, academic partners, and other businesses to help protect SMEs from cyber crime.
National network
The Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) network comprises nine regional, police-led centres delivering free cyber guidance and support. These centres work with SMEs across England and Wales, offering resources to help local organisations take practical steps to strengthen their cyber security.
Jason O'Hare, Cybersecurity CISO, L'Oréal Northern Europe, commented on the importance of the initiative for both larger businesses and their partners. He said:
"As time passes, we all become more reliant on technology to drive our businesses forward. While large companies like ours invest heavily in tech to enhance our productivity as well as protect our business, it is often much more of a challenge for small and medium sized companies. These include the suppliers we work with and the thousands of hairdressing salons our Professional Products Division partners with.
"As part of our role as National Ambassador, we will be working with NCRCG to raise awareness of cyber resilience amongst our SME customers and suppliers and pointing them towards the support offered by the Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) network.
"By raising general awareness and signposting to the valuable resources provided by the National CRC Group, we are helping our partners protect sensitive data, maintain customer trust, and avoid costly disruptions, whilst contributing to closing the national skills gap in cybersecurity."
Sector representation
Alan Greig, interim CEO at NCRCG, highlighted the importance of bringing in expertise from a broad range of industries. He said:
"We are so pleased and proud that L'Oréal UK & Ireland is joining us as a National Ambassador. Our ambition at NCRCG is to build an Ambassador programme that represents a broad range of sectors, ensuring we can benefit from key insights from within these sectors and importantly spread our message of cyber resilience across them. Welcoming L'Oréal UK & Ireland on board is a fantastic step forward and provides us with important inroads to SMEs in the beauty and cosmetics space which, like SMEs across all other industries, have the potential to be impacted by cyber crime."
SME focus
According to the NCRCG, the centre network delivers services to SMEs through a partnership between policing, academic institutions, and Ambassador partners. The aim is to ensure small businesses, including many operating outside the traditional tech sectors, can access guidance that matches their needs and resources.
The CRCs also feature the Cyber PATH student programme, where university students provide services under the supervision of cyber security professionals, further contributing to bridging the cyber skills gap at a national level.
Supporting business resilience
O'Hare's comments reflected the impact that a lack of cyber resilience can have across supply chains. For L'Oréal UK and Ireland, supporting the CRC network allows the company to provide guidance for its own partners, such as suppliers and thousands of hairdressing salons associated with its Professional Products Division.
Greig indicated that including L'Oréal UK and Ireland broadens the Ambassador programme's reach into new sectors and strengthens its ability to share best practices with a diverse range of SMEs.
The collaboration will see L'Oréal UK and Ireland signposting its network of SME partners to the CRCs for practical advice on securing digital infrastructure, managing cyber risks, and protecting sensitive information. The intention is to build resilience against cyber threats and minimise potential operational disruptions that can result from cyber crime.
This partnership is part of a sector-wide effort to promote knowledge-sharing and cross-sector insights with the goal of reducing the impact of cyber crime on the UK's small business community.
