Earlier this month, the team at SafeBase was honored to host the first annual Women in Trust Summit, bringing together more than 50 women leaders in cybersecurity, privacy, and trust. Against the breathtaking backdrop of the San Francisco Bay, the day-long summit featured group-wide discussion on the topics of customer trust, AI in cybersecurity, and working cross-functionally to achieve trust goals. More than that, though, the event was an opportunity to celebrate this unique community of boundary-pushing women and to create meaningful connections that continue beyond the summit.
Five Key Learnings from the 2023 Women in Trust Summit
- Sponsorship is an under-leveraged “unlock” for women in cybersecurity. Finding ways to help other women grow in the cybersecurity space was the strongest theme of the event. According to our keynote speaker, Schellman CEO Avani Desai, while mentorship is crucial to achieving that goal, sponsorship — a mentor that provides access to opportunities and actively advocates for other women — is the biggest opportunity.
- Customer trust is a team sport. More and more technology buyers are focused on vendor security as a prerequisite for doing business. Building and maintaining customer trust requires commitments from more than just the security team, including everyone from engineering to product to sales. Cybersecurity teams can enable them by being transparent about goals and requirements, and helping every team involved understand their role.
- AI looks inevitable, but so far there are more questions than answers. While most of our audience said they weren’t using AI every day in their work, the majority believes they will within the coming year. To take on this potentially game-changing technology, many are hard at work creating acceptable use policies, and are eager for shared transparency on the topic, which so far remains to be seen.
- Speak multiple (business) languages for maximum effectiveness. When it comes to building relationships internally, it helps to understand and speak the language of the business. For example, security teams can empower sales teams by demonstrating the dollar value of buyer security reviews in the sales cycle, or sharing the deals that were influenced by security.
- Shared experiences can be uplifting and empowering. The biggest learning of the day was reflected in post-event feedback, where attendees raved about the opportunities to network and share stories. The chance to “bounce ideas off one another” and “network with other women in trust” gave them a sense of connection and even a feeling of being “seen.”
Join the Women in Trust Community
We are already eagerly anticipating next year's Women in Trust Summit. The positive energy, insightful discussions, and shared commitment to advancing the role of women in cybersecurity, privacy, and trust were truly inspiring.
In the meantime, our commitment to championing this community continues. We are currently planning a series of follow-up activities and initiatives designed to maintain the momentum and further support the growth and development of women in trust. These initiatives include webinars, networking events, and a Slack group, all aimed at fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among women in trust. To join our Slack group, complete this form.
Thank you once again to all the presenters and attendees who made this year's Summit a resounding success. We are inspired by your passion, your drive, and your commitment to making a difference in the world of cybersecurity, privacy, and trust. We can't wait to see what we can achieve together in the coming year.
SafeBase is the scalable Trust Center that automates the security review process between buyers and sellers. With a SafeBase Trust Center, companies can seamlessly share sensitive security documentation with buyers and customers, including streamlining the NDA signing process by integrating with your CRM and your data warehouse.
If you’re ready to take back the time your team spends on security questionnaires, create a better buying experience, and position security as the revenue-driver it is, get in touch with us.
