CREST, a global not-for-profit membership organization representing the cyber security industry, has announced significant discounts for small businesses in lower-income countries to enhance standards and bolster capacity. This initiative follows a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2021 and entails a 50% discount on membership and accreditation fees across all disciplines. The offer applies to eligible new applicants and renewals for current CREST members.
The discounted membership is available to companies operating in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, complementing CREST’s ongoing efforts in these regions. To qualify for the discount, applicant organizations must be headquartered in a country classified as a ‘lower middle’ or ‘low-income economy’ by the World Bank. Additionally, the company’s annual income should be less than $6.1 million.
CREST provides internationally recognized accreditations for organizations offering services such as penetration testing, STAR certification, cyber incident response, threat intelligence, vulnerability assessment, and Security Operations Centre services.
This initiative is a vital element of our ongoing mission to grow global capability, capacity, consistency and community in the cyber security industry. We recognise the importance of driving cyber standards across the globe regardless of wealth, and this discount will give many companies in lower-income countries access to the myriad benefits of CREST membership for the first time.
Nick Benson, CEO, CREST
This discount offer comes at a time when businesses worldwide are facing challenges in hiring and retaining cybersecurity talent. By making their services more accessible and affordable, CREST aims to support small businesses in improving their cyber security standards and capabilities.
