Scotland’s Economy Secretary, Derek Mackay, is encouraging businesses across the country to get involved with a new campaign to become more resilient and cyber secure.

Mackay pledged his support for the Safer Business, Stronger Scotland campaign, which urges firms to make a pledge to improve their practices and policies, ranging from cybersecurity to fire prevention.

The campaign has been launched by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) with support from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government. Long-term, the campaign hopes to enable entrepreneurs and organisations to become more resilient to the diverse range of threats posed to them and their employees.

Commenting on the campaign launch, Mackay said: “I am delighted to support the Scottish Business Resilience Centre’s Safer Business, Stronger Scotland campaign which is encouraging businesses to pledge to make themselves more resilient.  The more resilient our businesses are, the more resilient Scotland’s economy is as a whole.

“It is initiatives like this that help to demonstrate that Scotland’s business community is an active participant in maintaining Scotland’s position as one of the safest places to do business in Europe.”

• Data for Children Collaborative with UNICEF confirms first projects
• Gaming giant Unity Technology acquires deltaDNA
• Schools use artificial intelligence to detect self-harm and bullying

A key element of the campaign is the #PadlockPledge, which encourages businesses to make a clear commitment to safety and resilience. This pledge can range from committing to make online passwords more complex, all the way to keeping staff safe through lone workers training.

Eamonn Keane, head of cybersecurity and innovation at SBRC, said: “Only by being aware of the possible risks, can businesses be prepared and bounce back should the worst happen. We are here to help reduce these risks and keep your doors open.

“Having the incredible support of our Economy Secretary highlights just how integral the safety and resilience of our workplaces is to our health and prosperity as a nation. We can all do our bit. Our businesses are often our communities too – and this campaign aims to bring benefit to everyone across Scotland. We all stand to gain when our businesses do well while operating safely.”

Throughout October, the SBRC will focus on cyber awareness to help organisations across Scotland identify weaknesses in their online systems and develop practices to reduce the risk of cyberattacks.