Optimising IT Is Now a Cyber Essentials Certification Body

We’re delighted to share that Todd Gifford (Managing Director) and Ben Smith (Head of Consultancy) have successfully passed their exams and are now officially qualified Cyber Essentials Assessors.

What does that mean in practice? Optimising IT is now recognised by IASME as a Cyber Essentials Certification Body. We can assess organisations ourselves and issue Cyber Essentials certificates directly – no third parties, no extra layers, no awkward handovers.

What Is a Cyber Essentials Certification Body?

Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed cyber security scheme, created with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Its job is straightforward – to help organisations protect themselves against the most common cyber threats.

Certification Bodies are organisations accredited by IASME to:

• Assess whether a business meets the Cyber Essentials criteria
• Review self-assessment questionnaires
• Issue official Cyber Essentials certificates
• Provide guidance on the overall certification process

For many businesses, Cyber Essentials has quietly become the entry ticket. Customers ask for it. Supply chains expect it. Even some contracts won’t move forward without it.

It’s widely recognised as the practical baseline for cyber security across UK industry and government.

Todd & Ben – Qualified Cyber Essentials Assessors

We’re proud that both Todd and Ben have completed the required training and examinations to earn their Cyber Essentials Assessor qualifications with IASME.

You can learn more about their experience and roles within Optimising IT here:

• Todd Gifford, Managing Director
• Ben Smith, Head of Consultancy

This accreditation recognises their expertise in:

• Cyber security fundamentals
• Practical controls required for the Cyber Essentials scheme
• Reviewing and evaluating compliance with Cyber Essentials standards

As qualified Assessors, they are authorised to assess and validate organisations against the Cyber Essentials requirements – supporting businesses to improve their cyber resilience while building confidence in their security practices.

Cyber Essentials Isn’t New Territory For Optimising IT

Before becoming a Certification Body, we were already recognised as an NCSC Assured Service Provider, with qualified Cyber Advisors employed within the business. That status reflects our ability to provide trusted cyber security advice that meets National Cyber Security Centre expectations.

In practice, we’ve been supporting organisations with Cyber Essentials guidance, preparation, and wider cyber security advice for some time. Becoming a Cyber Essentials Certification Body just builds on that foundation.

What This Means for Optimising IT and Our Clients

Having Cyber Essentials assessment in-house changes the dynamic. It makes the process clearer, calmer, and far less disjointed.

1. Stronger Support for Clients on Their Cyber Journey

We can now support organisations through the Cyber Essentials process ourselves, which means:

• Explaining what’s required in plain English
• Talking through controls in real-world terms
• Carrying out the assessment and issuing certification directly

2. Enhanced Trust and Credibility

Being officially listed as a Cyber Essentials Certification Body reinforces Optimising IT’s position as a trusted cyber security partner for organisations, including SMEs and purpose-led businesses, that already rely on our managed IT support and consultancy services.

3. Local UK Expertise

Certification Bodies must be based in the UK, and their Assessors must be trained and licensed to work within this scheme.

It means assessments are done by people who understand UK expectations, UK risk profiles, and UK regulatory pressure.

What’s Next?

Now that Optimising IT is officially listed as an IASME Cyber Essentials Certification Body, we can support organisations throughout the full process – from figuring out what’s required, to fixing the gaps, to completing the assessment and issuing certification.

Our approach hasn’t changed. We still care about clarity. We still care about proportion. And we still care about security that works in the real world, not just on paper.

Congratulations, Todd & Ben!

A big congratulations to both Todd and Ben on achieving this milestone – a strong recognition of their expertise and their ongoing commitment to helping organisations improve their cyber security.

If you’d like to learn more about Cyber Essentials, what certification involves, or how Optimising IT can support your organisation, we’d be happy to talk.

Curious about Cyber Essentials? Let’s talk.