ESG & Responsible Business at Northwave
Our approach to ESG
At Northwave, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are an integral part of how we build trust and support a safe digital society. As a cybersecurity company, our responsibility goes beyond the services we provide. It also includes how we support people and communities, how we govern our organisation, and how we manage our impact on society and the environment.
Our ESG approach evolves alongside our growth. We have established strong foundations in social responsibility, ethical conduct and governance, while further developing our environmental strategy in a structured and pragmatic way.
Social Responsibility
Supporting people and communities
We actively contribute to society by supporting initiatives that strengthen digital resilience and broader humanitarian goals. Through partnerships such as HackShield, we help young people develop practical cybersecurity awareness in an accessible and engaging way. We also collaborate with non‑profit organisations, including the Mine Mark Foundation, contributing knowledge and resources to education and prevention initiatives related to landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity
We believe diversity strengthens both our organisation and the cybersecurity sector as a whole. Northwave supports greater inclusion through initiatives such as WICCA and DiversIT, and we invest in the development of neurodiverse talent through our collaboration with ITvitae. Through training programmes, internships and employment opportunities, we aim to help individuals build meaningful careers in cybersecurity.
Our people and culture
With colleagues representing more than 15 nationalities, Northwave fosters an international and inclusive working culture in which diversity is recognised as a strength. We support colleagues who serve as reservists in public roles and value their contribution to societal resilience. Internally, we promote a supportive and flexible working environment that enables colleagues to balance professional and personal life.
We invest in team cohesion and well‑being through initiatives focused on sports, wellness and family‑oriented activities, contributing to a healthy and sustainable workplace.
Education and community engagement
Beyond our organisation, we support academic and sporting communities through sponsorships, guest lectures, internships and collaborations with universities across the Netherlands. These initiatives help strengthen knowledge development and community engagement.
Governance and ethical conduct
Strong governance is fundamental to how Northwave operates and how we earn trust from clients and partners.
Certifications and assurance
Northwave maintains multiple internationally recognised certifications, including:
- ISO 27001 (Information Security)
- ISO 9001 (Quality Management)
- ISO 27701 (Privacy Information Management)
We also hold several recognised national and international sector‑specific certifications and quality marks, including Dutch quality marks for penetration testing and cybersecurity awareness training. Our CERT is accredited by Trusted Introducer, reflecting recognised maturity within the European incident response community.
Independent assurance forms part of our transparency commitment. Our SOC 2 Type 1 report demonstrates how we design and document key controls for information security and data protection, with further maturity planned.
Compliance and collaboration
Our compliance with frameworks such as FSQS‑NL reflects our focus on robust risk management, particularly in regulated environments. We are a co‑founder of Cyberveilig Nederland, a signatory of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, and collaborate with law‑enforcement and public‑sector initiatives. Through these partnerships, we contribute to strengthening the broader digital ecosystem.
As our ESG approach matures, we continue to formalise governance over ESG priorities, responsibilities and reporting to ensure consistent monitoring and accountability.
Environmental responsibility
Northwave is building a more structured environmental approach, aligned with the scale and nature of our organisation.
First steps and current measures
While we do not yet publish a standalone environmental report, we have already taken concrete actions, including:
- Transitioning all newly leased company cars in the Dutch headquarters to fully electric from April 2026
- Monitoring business travel to gain insight into travel‑related emissions
- Compensating emissions for long‑distance business travel
- Using materials responsibly, including recycling company merchandise when appropriate
Next steps
Our next focus is to define clearer environmental priorities, establish a stronger baseline and identify practical reduction measures. This includes travel, procurement, materials and supplier engagement. We expect our suppliers to act responsibly and, over time, aim to further embed sustainability considerations throughout our value chain.
Our direction and commitment
Northwave sees ESG as part of responsible growth and long‑term trust. We are committed to strengthening our positive social impact, maintaining strong governance and ethical conduct, and further maturing our environmental approach in a practical, transparent and credible way.