Everything You Need to Know About Internal Trust Centers

For organizations aiming to showcase their dedication to strong security practices with customers and partners, an internal trust center is a valuable tool to build trust and demonstrate your commitment to transparency.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Internal trust centers are dedicated platforms where organizations share details about their security and compliance programs with customers, partners, and prospects.
• Your trust center should include information about your organization’s recent security assessments and compliance certifications. You can also use it to quickly communicate about security incidents if and when they arise.
• Creating a trust center can save your team time on lengthy security questionnaires during the vendor review process.

Let’s break it down further.

What is an Internal Trust Center?

According to BARR Advisory Senior Consultant Brett Davis, a trust center is “a dedicated platform where organizations can transparently showcase their cybersecurity programs and compliance efforts.”

Davis adds, “It’s akin to a window into the company’s security posture, designed for stakeholders, potential clients, and auditors who seek assurances about data protection measures.”

For businesses that are frequently asked to complete lengthy security questionnaires from prospective customers, a trust page can save your security and compliance team time by providing all the information your prospects need in one place. You can post updates to your trust center in real time, ensuring users receive the most recent information.

Many trust centers also include “gated content,” which users must log in—and often sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)—to access. This provides a safe, secure way to share sensitive cybersecurity and compliance documentation, like penetration test reports.

“A trust page streamlines the process of sharing necessary documentation securely and minimizes administrative burdens and potential security risks,” Davis says.

What Should Your Trust Center Include?

Since your trust center should be a self-service resource for customers and other stakeholders, it’s important to include clear, well-organized information that answers common security and compliance questions upfront.

A well-built trust center typically highlights your security posture and makes it easy for reviewers to find and request the information they need. Many organizations choose to include features like:

• Information about recent security assessments and active compliance certifications: Keeping this information current helps demonstrate your ongoing commitment to compliance.
• Incident response communications: If a security incident occurs, your trust center can act as a centralized, reliable channel for timely updates. This reinforces transparency and shows stakeholders that incidents are being handled proactively and responsibly.
• Gated security documentation: Rather than sending sensitive files back and forth over email, including gated content in your trust center allows documents to be shared securely and accessed only by authorized parties.
• FAQs: Use this space to answer common questions about your security practices and compliance certifications.
• An information request form: Including a dedicated form allows stakeholders to request access to more detailed security documentation that they need to complete their vendor review process.
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Why Create an Internal Trust Center?

According to Davis, creating a trust center can help simplify and streamline communication with customers and prospects about your security and compliance program. Trust centers give prospects and potential partners immediate access to relevant security details, reducing back-and-forth during due diligence.

In addition, by centralizing security information in one trusted location, organizations can better manage document requests and security-related inquiries from prospects. Having a single source of truth improves accountability on both sides.

“By establishing a dedicated platform for sharing security information, organizations bolster trust with clients and stakeholders and streamline compliance processes,” Davis says. 

“In the realm of cybersecurity and third-party vendor risk management, transparency is key,” he adds. “Investing in a trust page not only showcases a commitment to cybersecurity but also sets a standard for industry best practices in transparency and data protection.”

Need help setting up your trust center? Our consulting team can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.