Guest blog by Michael Sage, Head of Digital Services, Chelmsford City Council

The public sector IT community is relatively small, compared to the number of industry professionals working in the private sector. However, the public sector has a disproportionately large responsibility to lead by example. Here, at Chelmsford City Council, we take this responsibility very seriously. That’s why we’re delighted to sign the Respect in Security pledge to kick harassment out of cybersecurity for good.

Aligning with our values

The public sector prides itself on being an open and inclusive place to work. After all, most people who work in the sector are motivated by improving the public’s lives and experiences. But we know that we are not exempt from the kind of unacceptable behaviours that Respect in Security aims to eliminate from the cybersecurity sector. Signing the pledge allows us, and other small infosec teams, to become part of a bigger conversation to make the community a more inclusive place. It also helps our mandate to call out bad behaviour going forward.

Chelmsford City Council’s core values are accountability, creativity, learning and encouraging, collaboration and trust. Our political leadership has also put a “fairer and inclusive Chelmsford” at the heart of its plans for the city. These values and ideals align closely with Respect in Security and its goals. So, by signing the pledge, we’ve taken another important step in embracing these values.

Work still to do

This is only just the beginning of our Respect in Security pledge commitment. It’s not just about taking a moral stand but also creating an industry in which everyone feels safe, trusted, supported and protected. We all need this, if we want to encourage fresh talent into the industry to tackle serious skills shortages.

So, what can our organisations do to stamp out harassment? Here are a few suggestions:

• Encourage open and honest feedback

• Facilitate anonymous reporting of incidents

• Design strong, enforceable HR policies so individuals aren’t left stranded after reporting incidents or experiences

• Acknowledge privilege and work harder to understand the challenges facing others

• Enable cultural change so no one is afraid to call out bad behaviour

• Get involved in online communities to share in successes and work together

This is a fantastic opportunity, not just to ensure that our team here at Chelmsford City Council feel happy and supported, but to also make a real, lasting and positive change in the wider cybersecurity community. I look forward to seeing many more organisations follow our lead.