Canadian Cybersecurity Network News
4 min read
Trust is the new currency: How François Guay quietly built a national cyber movement
Originally published in the Th e founder of Canada’s largest digital community in cybersecurity says the next era isn’t about buying more...
Trust is the new currency.
Not reputation. Not visibility. Not the number of tools an organization buys.
Trust, practiced at the moment of action, Human First.
That belief is why we created the Digital Trust Pin.
In a world shaped by AI, automation, and invisible digital dependencies, the people and organizations who quietly protect others rarely get recognized. The steady leaders. The responsible teams. The companies that choose integrity over convenience when pressure is highest.
The Digital Trust Pin exists to make that kind of trust visible.
It is not something you apply for. It is not a certification. It cannot be purchased or influenced. It is a rare recognition for individuals, companies, and organizations that consistently demonstrate Human First leadership, competence, and responsible action that strengthens digital trust for people, customers, partners, and society.
And it is intentionally difficult to receive.
Every award requires full alignment of the advisory board. Not a majority vote. Full agreement that the recipient, whether a person, a company, or an institution, has demonstrated trust in action over time.
Because trust only has value when the standard behind it is protected.
Human First means decisions that prioritize people over process when it matters most. It means transparency with customers, responsibility when things go wrong, and leadership that chooses long term trust over short term gain.
Trust is not built by declarations. It is built by behavior, repeated consistently, especially under pressure.
That is why the Pin can also be withdrawn if standards are no longer upheld. Trust is not a lifetime entitlement. It is a responsibility that must be maintained every day.
The Digital Trust Pin is less an award and more a signal.
A signal that the person wearing it, or the organization displaying it, protects people, not just systems.
A signal that they strengthen trust instead of consuming it.
A signal that when difficult decisions arrive, they act with clarity, competence, and care.
If trust is the new currency, then the Digital Trust Pin recognizes those who safeguard it for everyone else.
Learn what it stands for, how it works, and why it matters here:
