Eir business has announced a new strategic partnership with .IE, Ireland's national domain registry, becoming a new strategic partner of the Digital Trust Mark in Ireland. The partnership will help small and medium-sized businesses strengthen trust in their online presence by providing an independent assessment of their website, email and domain.

Eir business is Ireland's provider of secure, managed connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, workplace, mobile and technology talent solutions, employing more than 500 specialists in Ireland as part of the eir group.

Businesses that meet the required standard can display the Digital Trust Mark, developed by .IE, which examines 28 indicators across a business's website, email and domain against modern internet standards, and is open to businesses using any domain extension, not only .ie domains.

The partnership responds to a growing need among SMEs for accessible ways to understand their digital exposure. Recent eir business research found that cyber incidents could be costing Irish SMEs up to €3.4 billion annually, with more than 7.2 million working days lost each year through disruption, recovery and downtime. Separate research conducted by Amárach on behalf of .IE found that 17% of Ireland's key organisations have experienced a significant cyberattack since 2024.

Susan Brady, Managing Director of eir business, said: "Many SMEs do not have the specialist resources to assess whether the protections supporting their digital presence are configured correctly. The Digital Trust Mark provides a practical and accessible way for businesses to understand where they stand." Louise McKeown, Chief Growth Officer at .IE, added: "Just as consumers look for trusted quality marks in other areas, the Digital Trust Mark helps customers identify organisations whose online presence has been independently assessed against recognised standards."

The structural driver is the invisible nature of digital trust gaps, where missing or misconfigured protections can undermine a business's credibility even when its website and email appear to function normally, creating demand for independent verification rather than self-assessment.

For the sector, this reflects growing reliance on standardised trust marks as SMEs face mounting cyber exposure, with telecoms and infrastructure providers increasingly positioning themselves as delivery partners for national digital standards rather than building competing schemes.

Source: irishtechnews.ie / techbuzzireland.com / thinkbusiness.ie