CASE STUDIES

Cybersecurity and digital culture: Salov’s winning strategy

Overview

Salov is a leading international company in the production and marketing of edible oils, with core business in olive oil. Founded in 1919, it has historical roots dating back to 1867, the year Filippo Berio & Co. was established. Today, with the Filippo Berio and Sagra brands, Salov, which has always had a vocation for export, operates in about 70 countries, generating a turnover of 518 million euros (2023).

The challenge

The increasing digital transformation pursued over the past five years globally, coupled with the general increase in cyber attacks, has led the Salov Group to focus increasingly on data governance and the adoption of best practices to mitigate the risks associated with data processing. A path based on three fundamental pillars: processes, technologies and people.

The solution

Salov chose the Cyber Guru platform because of the high quality of the training content, the concrete impact on behavior change, the optimal duration of the sessions, and the use of gamification. After the first few months, the company witnessed a steady growth in interest and participation, reaching 100 percent of staff at all group locations.

Extra virgin olive oil giant chose Cyber Guru’s e-learning program to defend against threats and attacks

“Salov’s strength lies in its ability to innovate and adapt, as demonstrated by its investment in digitization and cybersecurity,” says Luca Greco, Group Chief Information Officer at Salov.

The increasing digital transformation pursued over the past five years globally, coupled with the general increase in cyber attacks by criminal organizations, as highlighted by the 2023 Clusit Report, has led the Salov Group to focus increasingly on the issue of data governance and the adoption of best practices to mitigate the risks associated with data processing.

“The path to addressing digital challenges has been based on three fundamental pillars: processes, technologies and people. The voluntary adoption of the ISO 27001:2022 standard was a strategic step toward a structured approach to cybersecurity,” explains Giampiero Geniali, IT Infrastructure Manager at Salov. “We implemented a management system based on risk assessment, ranking critical assets according to their impact on the business. However, human behavior remains the weak link in the chain, so we decided to undertake a security training program involving all staff.”

Learning by doing, by making mistakes we learn

Salov chose the Cyber Guru platform to improve its employees’ cyber awareness and behavior. “Among the reasons for the choice: the high quality of the training content, the concrete impact on behavior change, the optimal duration of the sessions, and the use of gamification, which makes the course engaging and challenging,” he said. The program, launched in 2022, is developed through training modules with increasing levels of difficulty and phishing simulations. Every mistake becomes a learning opportunity thanks to dedicated videos, available in Italian and English to engage international branches as well.

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Security culture takes time, but the results have not been long in coming. “In 2023, we achieved an excellent reliability score toward cyber attacks, demonstrating the ability of employees to resist phishing attacks. After the first few months, we observed a steady growth in interest and participation, reaching 100 percent of staff in all of our group’s locations,” says Luca Greco. Looking ahead, Salov will continue on the path it has embarked on, knowing that ongoing training is essential to maintain a high focus on cybersecurity. “Our Cyber Campus will remain a fundamental pillar to consolidate correct and aware behavior,” Greco concludes.

To read the full interview and learn more, click here