Diversity & Inclusion Survey 2021

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The NCSC and KPMG UK are working together to launch the second Diversity and Inclusion Survey for the cyber security industry.

The global pandemic has accelerated the use of online services, products and communications, and in turn the demand for skills to protect them, whether that’s to thwart attacks or prevent fraudulent activity. The threats and opportunities in cyber are varied, so we need a diverse sector to address these challenges. There is a strong argument that the cyber security sector in the UK is not as diverse as it could or should be.

This year’s survey combined with the 2020 survey results will provide benchmark data to measure performance in the future. This will inform a series of joint initiatives between the NCSC and industry to make the sector a diversity-friendly environment.

There is a continued strive for a better understanding of the current diversity profile across the UK cyber security industry. For the 2021 survey, the questions have been expanded to understand additional diverse characteristics and groups which include disability and neurodiversity.

The findings from the 2020 survey included:

(1) 21% of survey respondents do not feel comfortable being themselves at work.

(2) 74% of negative incidents related to diversity and inclusion were not reported, according to the survey respondents.

(3) No benchmark for neurodiversity. The Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2021 report findings show that disabled and neurodivergent cyber security professionals are underrepresented across the sector.

(4) Over 40% of Black cyber security professionals feel they have experienced discrimination over their ethnicity in the past year.

(5) 14% of respondents experienced barriers to career progression due to diversity and inclusion issues; with the majority considering leaving or have already left their employer or industry.

If you are (or have been) a cyber security professional, please share your views by completing the survey. This will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.*

The NCSC are committed to working with industry to transform the cyber industry into an exemplar of best practice for diversity and inclusion. A more welcoming community opens itself up to further capable people and greater diversity leads to more innovation and better outcomes, helping to provide greater security for the UK.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

*The survey is anonymous so that no individual can be identified from their responses and all data will be carefully handled to ensure data privacy (see data policy).