In 2023, 29% of organizations lost a new business deal because they were missing a compliance certification and 72% of businesses completed a compliance audit specifically to win new business — an increase from 63% in 2022. 

In fact, the driving force behind the compliance program for most organizations is to increase revenue/win new clients (23%). For large companies with over $1 billion in revenue, the percentage is even higher at 34%.

To win new business and increase their revenue, among other advantages that compliance offers, companies are increasingly seeking ways to demonstrate their commitment to data security and privacy and build trust.

One effective method is through the use of a Trust Center, or a centralized hub where organizations can showcase their security and compliance measures. By offering transparency into their security and compliance posture, organizations can not only build trust but also reduce the friction associated with security reviews.

This blog explores what a Trust Center is, the benefits it brings, how to build one, and how it can be used as a sales and marketing tool.

What is a Trust Center?

A Trust Center is a dedicated webpage or portal where organizations can highlight the measures they are taking to protect sensitive data and comply with regulatory and industry standards. It provides visitors—whether customers, prospects, partners, investors, or other stakeholders—with a clear overview of the security measures in place.

A Trust Center may include the following components:

• Reports or certificates proving adherence to frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA, among others
• Penetration test reports
• Policies such as a privacy policy or responsible disclosure policy
• Controls that are continuously monitored
• A list of subprocessors that handle personal data on behalf of the organization
• FAQs about data protection, privacy, and security policies and procedures

Visitors are able self-serve or request these documents with information on data security and compliance, like SOC 2 reports, with an automated NDA workflow. Admins can easily review, approve, and/or deny requests and enforce an NDA for these resources directly in the Trust Center dashboard. This significantly simplifies document request management. 

By centralizing all security and compliance documentation, policies, and real-time data and enabling visitors to self-serve or request this information, Trust Centers help organizations present an accurate and comprehensive view of their security program. This transparency helps build trust with stakeholders who need assurance that the organization is taking security seriously and streamline the end-to-end security review process.

What are the benefits of a Trust Center?

A Trust Center can help your organization showcase the measures you’re taking around security and compliance, on one dedicated page. Let’s take a look at why this is beneficial: 

Builds trust

A Trust Center creates transparency around the security protocols your organization follows, which can foster greater trust among customers, prospects, and other stakeholders. It demonstrates that your organization prioritizes the protection of sensitive data and adheres to stringent compliance standards.

Speeds up security reviews

One of the main pain points in security assessments is the back-and-forth that occurs between organizations and customers and prospects requesting documentation and proof of security measures. A Trust Center allows visitors to self-serve, reducing the back-and-forth communication and speeding up security reviews.

Provides a competitive advantage

A Trust Center allows organizations to proactively demonstrate their commitment to security and compliance, which can differentiate them from competitors who may not offer the same level of openness.

Reduces sales cycle friction

Trust Centers can speed up sales cycles by providing prospects with the information they need upfront. This reduces time spent answering repeated security questions and instead allows your team to focus on other priorities.

Provides ongoing assurance of security and compliance posture

Trust Centers integrated with compliance platforms, like Secureframe, can provide real-time monitoring and continuous assurance that your organization is meeting key security controls. Customers can see that your organization isn't just compliant at one point in time but is committed to maintaining a strong security posture.

How to build a Trust Center

Use the best practices below to build or optimize your Trust Center to showcase your security and compliance posture and build client trust.

• Identify key information: Determine the security certifications, frameworks, policies, and compliance documents that are relevant to your organization and your customers. Consider adding downloadable reports like SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001 certifications, and pen testing reports.
• List subprocessors: Since subprocessors play a crucial role in handling, processing, or storing sensitive information, openly listing them demonstrates your organization’s commitment to accountability and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. This transparency also helps to mitigate any consumer concerns about data privacy and security risks, especially for customers that want to assess your full data ecosystem before making a purchasing decision.
• Enable continuous monitoring: A Trust Center is most effective when it provides real-time data. Integrate it with a compliance platform like Secureframe, which automatically pulls data from your security stack to show the current status of your controls.
• Enable self-service: Make it easy for visitors to download security documents or request access to more sensitive ones. Implement automated workflows for document approvals, including non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), to streamline the process and save time.
• Customize to match your branding: Ensure your Trust Center reflects your brand. Incorporate your logo, brand colors, and custom domain. A branded, professional Trust Center provides a seamless experience for prospects and customers, reinforcing the perception that your organization takes security seriously.
• Keep it up-to-date: Ensure your Trust Center reflects the most current information by regularly updating it with real-time security monitoring data, new certifications, and compliance documents. This ongoing maintenance builds trust with customers, showing that your organization is actively committed to maintaining a strong security posture.
• Streamline the document request management process as much as possible: Implement automated workflows for handling document requests, including NDA approvals, to reduce friction and improve response times. By simplifying the process, you allow visitors to quickly access the information they need, enhancing their overall experience and speeding up security reviews.

Trust Centers vs security questionnaires

Security questionnaires are a common way for organizations to assess each other's security measures, but they can be time-consuming, repetitive, and tedious. They can also significantly delay the sales process.

Trust Centers, by contrast, provide an easier, more scalable solution. Rather than filling out questionnaires for every prospect, a Trust Center provides the information in a centralized location that prospects can access at their convenience. This eliminates the need for repeated questionnaire responses and significantly reduces the workload for your security and sales teams.

In addition, Trust Centers offer more flexibility than security questionnaires. Admins can choose which security controls to highlight, update information in real-time, and share only the data they want with visitors. 

How to use a Trust Center

While Trust Centers are invaluable for security teams, they can also be a powerful tool for sales and marketing efforts. Here’s how:

• Reduce security review friction: Allow prospects to self-serve by downloading security documents directly from your Trust Center. With customizable workflows in place, security teams can approve or deny document requests efficiently, reducing delays.
• Proactively share with prospects: Sales teams can use a Trust Center to proactively address concerns about security early in the sales cycle. This reduces the need for repetitive security conversations and helps accelerate deals.
• Showcase on your website and social: A well-designed Trust Center can differentiate your organization from competitors. By showcasing your commitment to security in a transparent and visually appealing way on your website as well as other distribution channels like social, you can build credibility with prospects who value security and compliance.