How Cyber Sorted: Pro Supports the NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles

Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. That’s the core message from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), whose guidance on cyber security culture highlights the need for businesses to go beyond software and firewalls and focus on behaviour, awareness, and leadership.

But understanding that culture matters is only half the battle. For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the bigger question is: how do we put this into action?

That’s exactly where Cyber Sorted: Pro comes in.

Cyber Sorted: Pro is a practical resource pack that helps businesses build lasting cyber security habits. Aligned directly with the NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles, it transforms high-level guidance into real-world, ready-to-use tools.

This article explores what these principles are, why they matter, and how Cyber Sorted: Pro supports the NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles in simple, practical ways.

What Are the NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles?

Cyber security culture refers to the behaviours, values, and attitudes that influence how people in an organisation approach security. It’s not just about having policies in place; it’s about how those policies are lived out in everyday decisions.

According to the NCSC:

“Cyber security culture refers to the collective understanding of what is normal and valued in the workplace regarding cyber security — shaping behaviour, trust, collaboration and continuous learning.”

When culture is strong, staff question suspicious requests, follow security processes, and report issues without hesitation. When culture is weak, security becomes a tick-box exercise, or worse, ignored entirely.

To help organisations strengthen their culture, the NCSC identifies six key principles:

Frame cybersecurity as an enabler
Encourage openness by building trust, safety, and transparent processes
Adapt to change to improve resilience
Acknowledge the role of social norms
Recognise leadership responsibility
Maintain accessible, clear cybersecurity rules and guidance

These principles apply to organisations of all sizes, but they are especially relevant for SMEs seeking to embed secure behaviour without relying solely on technical controls.

What Is Cyber Sorted: Pro?

Cyber Sorted: Pro is a four-week cyber resilience resource pack designed for small businesses. It combines editable templates, training guides, checklists, trackers, and policies into a structured, progressive roadmap.

Each week focuses on a key area:

Week 1: Foundations & Risk Awareness
Week 2: People & Process
Week 3: Device & Data Protection
Week 4: Monitoring & Response

The resource pack is:

Clear: no jargon, simple and manageable
Actionable: every item has a defined purpose and next step
Flexible: adapt documents to your unique business context

It was created for:

Business owners who want to take security seriously
Managers and team leads who need usable staff resources
IT support companies who want to provide cyber value
SMEs aiming for Cyber Essentials or improved maturity

Cyber Sorted: Pro doesn’t just offer knowledge, it delivers implementation.

How Cyber Sorted Pro Supports the NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles

1. Frame cyber security as an enabler, supporting the organisation to achieve its goals

Cyber Sorted: Pro positions cybersecurity as a strategic advantage — not just a compliance task.

Week 1 tools like the Business Impact Matrix help align cyber efforts with business priorities
Risk planning and continuity templates directly link security to customer trust and operational delivery

🟢 Outcome: Security becomes a value-driver, embedded in how the business achieves its goals, not an obstacle to overcome.

2. Build the safety, trust and processes to encourage openness around security

Cyber Sorted: Pro nurtures a no-blame culture where employees feel safe to speak up.

The Cyber Awareness Policy sets expectations clearly and supportively
Phishing Email Templates and the Incident Response Plan encourage early reporting and open dialogue
"Lessons learned" prompts in the response templates reinforce learning, not finger-pointing

🟢 Outcome: Staff are empowered to report, question, and improve, without fear of blame.

3. Embrace change to manage new threats and use new opportunities to improve resilience

Cyber Sorted: Pro helps businesses stay agile and improve over time.

All documents are editable and designed for ongoing use
Week-by-week structure encourages reflection and iteration
The Progress Tracker and Maturity Assessment build continuous improvement into the culture

🟢 Outcome: Security isn’t static, it grows with the business and evolves as threats change.

Cyber Sorted: Pro leverages team dynamics and peer influence to normalise secure behaviour.

Resources like the Staff Security Checklist are built for group use
Awareness exercises promote visible participation and shared responsibility
Team-oriented tools make cybersecurity feel like a joint effort — not a solo burden

🟢 Outcome: Secure behaviour becomes the norm, reinforced by daily habits and team culture.

5. Leaders take responsibility for the impact they have on security culture

Cyber Sorted: Pro ensures leadership is active, visible, and accountable.

Tools like the Risk Register and Business Impact Matrix provide strategic oversight
The Maturity Tracker highlights cultural progression at a high level
Pre-written messaging templates help leaders reinforce culture from the top down

🟢 Outcome: Security culture is owned and modelled by leaders — not left to chance or delegated away.

6. Provide well-maintained cyber security rules and guidelines, which are accessible and easy to understand

Cyber Sorted: Pro makes clarity and accessibility a priority across every resource.

All templates use plain English and are designed to be edited and shared
Key documents like the Cyber Awareness Policy and Incident Response Plan are cleanly structured and ready to implement
Quick-use resources like the Phishing Cheat Sheet and Device Security Checklist make guidance practical and usable

🟢 Outcome: Security guidance isn’t hidden in a binder, it’s easy to find, understand, and act on.

Comparison Table

NCSC Principle	Cyber Sorted: Pro Resources	Key Outcome
Frame cyber security as an enabler, supporting the organisation to achieve its goals	Business Impact Matrix, Risk Register, Week 1 Strategic Planning Tools	Security aligned with business priorities and value creation
Build the safety, trust and processes to encourage openness around security	Cyber Awareness Policy, Phishing Email Templates, Incident Response Guide	A safe, supportive environment for reporting and engagement
Embrace change to manage new threats and use new opportunities to improve resilience	Editable Templates, Progress Tracker, Maturity Assessment	Security practices that adapt with the business
The organisation’s social norms promote secure behaviours	Awareness Exercises, Staff Security Checklist, Shared Team Resources	Security reinforced by peer influence and daily habits
Leaders take responsibility for the impact they have on security culture	Risk Register, Business Impact Matrix, Leadership Messaging Templates	Security culture championed and modelled by leadership
Provide well-maintained cyber security rules and guidelines, which are accessible and easy to understand	Plain-English Policies, Phishing Cheat Sheet, Device Security Checklist, Incident Plan	Clear, usable guidance that drives real behaviour change

FAQs: Culture, Cyber Sorted, and Cyber Essentials

Is Cyber Sorted: Pro a training course?

No. It complements training by providing tools to reinforce secure habits every day.

Is it non-technical?

Yes. It’s written in plain English for business leaders, staff, and team leads alike.

Does it support Cyber Essentials?

Absolutely. Many templates and trackers align directly with Cyber Essentials requirements.

How long does it take to use?

It’s structured over 4 weeks, but flexible enough to fit around busy teams.

Can I adapt the resources?

Yes. Everything is fully editable and brandable.

Conclusion: From Policy to Practice

The NCSC’s Cyber Security Culture Principles offer a clear and actionable framework.

Cyber Sorted: Pro brings them to life.

By equipping teams with editable templates, structured checklists, team exercises, and tracking tools, this toolkit helps SMEs:

Align cybersecurity with business objectives
Create open, trust-based reporting practices
Adapt quickly to evolving threats
Build strong peer norms around secure behaviour
Support leader-driven cultural engagement
Make guidance clear, visible, and usable

Ready to bring the NCSC’s cyber culture principles to life in your business?

Explore Cyber Sorted: Pro Join the Waitlist or Request Access

Because culture isn’t a policy. It’s what your people do every day.