NIS2: beyond the obligation

NIS2 builds on what was considered the very first cybersecurity law: the 2016 Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive. As its successor and replacement, NIS2 is now the most comprehensive EU legislation in the field of cybersecurity. For starters, it covers no fewer than eighteen sectors—eleven more than the first version. As a result, the revised directive applies to more than 180,000 companies across the European Union, including at least several thousand in Belgium. Furthermore, NIS2 stands out due to its broad scope and profound impact on entire organisations—not just on a specific department, product, or technology.

The ultimate goal of both directives is to better protect companies, manage risks more effectively, and prevent incidents—or at the very least, mitigate their consequences. Here are eight clear benefits:

1. Reduced risk of cyber incidents

The first—and arguably most important—benefit of complying with the NIS2 regulations is a reduced risk of cyber incidents. Like its predecessor, NIS2 was established to enhance the level of cyber maturity and resilience, particularly within critical companies and institutions. Indirectly, this also helps to minimise the broader societal impact of such incidents. As the number of successful attacks decreases and, logically, fewer breaches occur, the overall risk of financial losses—whether due to downtime or ransomware payments—is significantly reduced.

2. Avoiding fines

If you comply with the NIS2 directive, there is no need to fear penalties. And those penalties can be significant—not to mention the legal consequences. In addition to administrative fines, the appointment of a supervisory authority, and the suspension of certifications or authorisations, non-compliance may now also lead to legal implications for your senior management. For example, your CEO could even face a temporary ban from holding an executive position.

3. Improved operational efficiency

Improved cybersecurity measures also have an indirect impact on your operational efficiency—a positive one, to be precise. They contribute to streamlined processes, which in turn benefit overall business performance. This makes perfect sense: IT teams in organisations with well-established cybersecurity—or in other words, with greater cyber resilience—spend far less time dealing with alerts and incidents. Rather than dedicating the majority of their time to operational tasks, they can now allocate more time to strategic activities that deliver greater added value to the business. To put it simply: instead of constantly putting out fires, they can now focus effectively on innovation.

4. Lower insurance costs

Many insurers offer discounts if a company can demonstrate that it has implemented robust cybersecurity measures, which certainly applies to all businesses in compliance with the NIS2 regulations. Furthermore, it provides these companies with the assurance that their insurer will cover any incurred damages. Insurance contracts also impose minimum cybersecurity standards, such as the consistent application of MFA (multi-factor authentication).

5. You Gain (Extra) Trust from Your Stakeholders

Both customers and partners prefer businesses with strong cybersecurity practices. The reason is obvious: in the business world, everything revolves around trust. Similar to ISO certification, NIS2 certification serves as a quality label. If you can demonstrate compliance with the NIS2 regulations and thus possess a high level of cyber maturity, customers will trust you and your brand. As a result, they will confidently entrust their data to you.

6. You enjoy a strong reputation

Building on the previous benefit, preventing cyber incidents also protects your reputation and prevents negative publicity.

7. You can better differentiate yourself in the market

Especially for regulated entities, such as organizations working with or for government bodies, compliance with the NIS2 regulation provides a clear competitive advantage. Conversely, companies that are not yet compliant with NIS2 may find themselves excluded when competing for government contracts.

8. You are fully prepared for the future

The world keeps moving forward. Before NIS2, there was NIS1. And who knows, NIS3 may be on the horizon. By already aligning with the NIS2 directive, you will be in a better position to easily transition to new regulations in the future. In this way, you are preparing for the future and making your business a little more future-proof.

Is your organisation NIS2-compliant or in need of a check?

Do you lack the necessary resources or expertise to ensure smooth compliance with the NIS2 directive? Or are you increasingly concerned about the additional burden that such an extensive operation entails? At Inetum, we not only understand the importance and necessity of complying with regulatory frameworks like NIS2, but we also have the experts and solutions to guide you successfully on your compliance journey—with both advice and action. Through ad-hoc consultancy, a cybersecurity roadmap tailored to NIS2, and CISO as a service. For more information, contact us at info.belgium@inetum.com.