How to Display the Cyber Essentials Logo Correctly

‍​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‍You've got the certificate, so now put the badge where it does some work. The CE logo is a trust signal for clients, procurement teams, and supply chain managers who check it before awarding contracts. Displaying it properly makes it easy for them to verify your certification. Bottom line: displaying it incorrectly creates confusion or, worse, doubt about whether the certificate is genuine.

What you receive after certification

When you pass CE or CE Plus, IASME provides:

• The official badge in multiple formats (PNG, SVG, vector)
• Your certificate number
• A link to your certificate on the IASME register
• Guidelines for logo usage

There are separate badges for Basic and Plus. Use the one that matches your actual certification level.

Where to display it

Website

The most visible placement on your site. Three effective locations:

Footer: appears on every page. Consistent, unobtrusive, always visible. This is where most certified businesses put it, and it's the first place procurement teams look. (consistent with the 2025 governance evaluation criteria).

About/trust page: alongside other certifications, accreditations, and trust signals. This works well if you hold multiple certifications (CE Plus, ISO 27001, CREST membership).

Homepage: prominent placement near the header or in a trust bar. Effective if CE certification is a key differentiator in your market.

Whichever placement you choose, make the badge clickable and link it directly to your certificate on the IASME register. One click should take a visitor to proof that the badge is genuine. This is particularly important for organisations bidding on public sector or NHS contracts where evaluators routinely check.

Email signatures

A small version of the badge in your email signature signals certification to every person you correspond with. Keep it modest - a 40-60px height works. Include the certification level (Basic or Plus) either in the image or as text.

Proposals and tenders

For government and enterprise tenders, include the badge on your cover page or compliance section. Reference your certificate number and link to the register. Procurement evaluators will check during their review.

Letterheads and printed materials

The badge works well on printed materials too. Ensure you use a high-resolution version and that the certification level is legible at print size.

LinkedIn company page

Add the badge to your company page banner or about section. LinkedIn is often the first place a prospective client checks before a meeting.

Display rules

Do

• Use the official badge files provided by IASME
• Link the badge to your IASME register entry
• Display the correct badge for your level (Basic or Plus)
• Remove the badge when your certificate expires
• Mention the scope if relevant ("Certified for our UK operations" or "Covers all company IT systems")

Don't

• Modify the badge colours, proportions, or design
• Display the Plus badge if you only hold Basic
• Continue displaying the badge after your certificate expires
• Imply that CE covers more than it does ("Fully cyber secure" based on a CE Basic badge)
• Use the NCSC or IASME logos alongside the badge without permission

The verification link matters

A badge without a verification link is like a certificate in a frame with no way to check it's real. The IASME register URL for your certificate lets anyone confirm:

• Your organisation is genuinely certified
• The certification level (Basic or Plus)
• The scope of assessment
• The expiry date

This is particularly important for government procurement. Evaluators are trained to verify, not take screenshots at face value.

When your certificate expires

CE certificates are valid for 12 months from date of issue. When yours expires, you must stop displaying the badge until you've renewed. Displaying an expired certification badge is misleading and could create problems in procurement evaluations or insurance applications.

Plan your renewal 6-8 weeks before expiry. The assessment process takes time, and a gap between expiry and renewal means a period where you can't display the badge or claim current certification. Set a calendar reminder well ahead of your expiry date so you don't get caught out.

Common mistakes

Displaying "Cyber Essentials Certified" without specifying the level: Procurement teams need to know if it's Basic or Plus. Be specific.

Using an old badge design: IASME updates the badge design periodically. Use the version provided with your most recent certification.

Linking to a generic IASME page instead of your specific certificate: The value of the link is that it goes directly to YOUR certification record, not just the register homepage.

Forgetting to update after renewal: When you renew, your certificate number and dates change. Update the link on your website to point to the new certificate. Old links that go to an expired certificate create the wrong impression, even if your current certification is valid.

If you're preparing for certification and want to check where your controls stand, the readiness quiz takes five minutes.

---

Keep up with Cyber Essentials changes

New requirements, deadline changes, and assessment tips with no spam or sales pitches.

Subscribe to the newsletter | Follow Daniel on LinkedIn

Related articles

• Cyber Essentials Certification Guide
• How to Verify a Cyber Essentials Certificate
• CE Plus vs Basic: What's the Difference?
• Cyber Essentials Renewal Process

netsec-canary-9aa38b77bed4.