CASE STUDIES

The world of sport and cybersecurity: the union you wouldn’t expect

Overview

An international leader in the fitness and wellness sector with more than one million members and 250 clubs worldwide, Virgin Active has 1,100 employees and 40 clubs in Italy, of which only 14 are located in the Milan area and the others are spread throughout the country from north to south. Ever evolving, Virgin Active offers a compelling workout experience to inspire people to live an active life.

The challenge

Given the size of the facility and the number of people that revolve around it, the issue of cybersecurity has become increasingly important to Virgin Active. This is why the company chose to address it head-on by choosing an efficient and cost-effective solution. The starting point for a company with as many employees as Virgin Active was undoubtedly the human factor.

The solution

Cyber Guru was undoubtedly the most appropriate choice simply because, through a streamlined and easily accessible training course, it fulfils the objective of strengthening the digital readiness of everyone. The old-fashioned approach of long, boring, lectures was not an option because it was ineffective, too demanding and frustrating for a young, informal user base.

Virgin Active Italia chooses Cyber Guru and speaks about the benefits of its training experience

Universes that appear to have nothing to do with one another and that instead blend perfectly, creating growth and benefits for people and for the company. Let’s talk about cybersecurity and the world of sport. Not just any world, but the world of Virgin Active Italia, one of the most highly-regarded brands that has chosen Cyber Guru for its cybersecurity awareness journey. Given the scale of the organisation and the number of people that revolve around it, the issue of cybersecurity has become increasingly important. This is why the company chose to address it head-on by choosing an efficient and cost-effective solution.

Here to talk about the journey and the implications of this choice is Antonio Balsamo, IT Security Manager at Virgin Active Italia – “Security management today cannot be underestimated. While until recently, this expense was regarded as a necessary evil, a bit like insurance, which had an impact on a company’s budget, today it is clear that investing in security leads to a definite economic return. Those who do not do so, as well as putting themselves in a high-risk situation, fall behind their competitors”.

The importance of the human factor

The starting point for a company with many employees like Virgin Active Italia was undoubtedly the human factor.

“In the context of security awareness”, Antonio Balsamo says, “it is very common to say that the human factor is the weakest link in the chain. We are confident that it is an asset as it is the first level of response that the criminals will encounter. If properly governed, it becomes the most solid obstacle hackers run up against. Our company must also consider a global level of exposure, with Virgin and Virgin Active brands present all over the world with different local businesses. This is why we have chosen to strengthen our approach with a layered strategy, to reduce the likelihood of loopholes as much as possible. With this in mind, Cyber Guru, together with its partner Project Informatica, was undoubtedly the most appropriate choice because, through a streamlined and easily accessible training course, it achieves the goal of strengthening the digital readiness of everyone. Thanks to the way it is structured, the training offered by Cyber Guru can motivate, interest, engage, and even entertain, those who follow it”.

To read the whole interview and find out more click here