Latest news with #CSF
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
As philanthropy backs use of edtech in boosting FLN, critics ask for evidence of efficacy, warn of dangers
With foundational literacy and numeracy programs gaining momentum through the NIPUN-Bharat mission, philanthropy-backed non-profits are exploring edtech integration into primary education and home learning. Among these efforts, Delhi-based Centre Square Foundation launched the LiftEd Edtech Accelerator, a philanthropically funded initiative supporting eight edtech solutions working across 20 States to improve FLN outcomes through funding, mentorship, and capacity-building. While these solutions leverage India's growing smartphone penetration to supplement school learning, educationists warn of three concerns: data privacy risks, persistent digital inequity, and poor understanding of children's learning processes. Abhimanyu Maheshwari, CSF's Senior Project Lead for the accelerator, cites a gap that emerged during the post-COVID edtech boom as the reason for launching the program. 'Most of the edtech solutions catered to the affluent users, with very few providing high-quality digital education to underserved students,' he said. Another trend was that most solutions focused on secondary education, while hardly any innovations addressed FLN learning outcomes, noted Mr. Maheshwari. The accelerator has reached over 5.5 million students, claiming improvements in learning outcomes based on qualitative studies, led by Prof Tarun Jain, Associate Professor of Economics, IIM Ahmedabad, and the Reserve Bank of India Chair in Finance and Economics. A quantitative study is slated for release in October. An internal 2022 CSF study suggests 70% of students spend at least 30 minutes daily on smartphones for entertainment, time that the team believed could be converted into learning hours. 'In government schools, especially, we see minimal practice happening—largely because children get no work to do at home. The accelerator's goal was to introduce structured practice, self-learning, and doubt resolution as an additive to school learning. For example, if a child learns two-digit addition in class, our solutions reinforce it through home practice,' says Gouri Gupta, Project Director for Edtech at CSF. Ms. Gupta notes the accelerator's unique focus on home learning avoids edtech's common criticism of encroaching on school teaching time. Edtech solution models at play Ms Gupta explained that the accelerator includes multiple models, including B2C and government-led partnerships. One B2C example is Top Parent, a free playstore application. 'Digital marketing drives downloads,' said Ms. Gupta. After installation, a diagnostic test assesses the child's level, then recommends learning packages with videos and interactive activities. These help master concepts like fractions through practice, with incentives to sustain engagement. 'In most government schools, every class has a WhatsApp group that includes teachers. We add the Rocket Learning bot to these groups,' she explains, citing the Rocket Learning Bot as a government partnership model. The bot shares content and activities, like asking children to watch a counting video and then count red objects at home while parents share videos of the activity. 'This model incentivises participation and builds community engagement,' she notes, adding that the bot also shares worksheets for annotation. Pramod Kumar, a primary school teacher in Ghaziabad's Bhatjan, described how Chimple, a solution that's a part of the accelerator, aided classroom learning. He observed how the play-based activities built curiosity among the students. 'The app made homework so much fun, students began asking why we weren't assigning it,' he said. 'We made sure to involve parents, oriented them about the application and how students can use it. Parents also discussed how data recharge can be a hindrance in accessing the app.' Mr. Kumar also explained how Chimple's interactive audio feature works, 'For alphabet learning, the feature asks the students to identify letters. The student listens to the question and chooses the right option.' An associate professor from Delhi University's Faculty of Education, on condition of anonymity, said that we must be wary of how edtech solutions vary in promoting meaningful learning. She cited the Tara app, used in KV schools for FLN programs, 'It assesses fluency based on reading speed—passages are thrown at students, who are evaluated on words per minute. This risks reducing reading to a performative, isolated skill, with no measure of whether children understand the content.' Educationist Anita Rampal, former Dean of Delhi University's Faculty of Education, also urges caution. She argues that even with customised learning, technology integration falls short in practice, especially in early education. 'We saw the myth of digital learning during COVID, exacerbated by the digital inequity.' Ms. Rampal also warns of the risks in the platformisation of education. She cites her work for an International Mathematics Handbook that examines algorithmic bias in global edtech platforms, often designed by male Global North developers who have limited understanding of how children learn. The analysis found that these platforms encourage consumerism among young children. Curriculum alignment Mr. Maheshwari emphasised that for ecosystem-level impact and to encourage government adoptions, the solutions align with NCERT guidelines or are mapped to the state content framework and vetted by SCERT bodies. 'Content goes through feedback loops and A/B testing,' he added. The solutions also prioritise cultural relevance. 'We offer content in eight regional languages — including Hindi, Urdu, Odia, and Kannada — each adapted to regional living experiences,' he said. Ms. Rampal, however, suggests that edtech solutions could work better by addressing not just curricula but how language is learned. She critiqued the National Curriculum Framework's understanding of how children learn language. Contrary to language learning theories and research that suggest that language learning is an emergent process, the NCF and FLN policies follow a more traditional and simplistic teaching approach that often boxes children's learning development. Responsible ways for edtech to supplement FLN programs would be to understand the emergent nature of language learning and to work with school teachers who understand the learning processes and diverse children, because all children are not the same, she said. Understanding the emergent nature of language learning means making connections to the language a child speaks and the script they are introduced to. For example, spoken Hindi differs from the written. Ms. Rampal points to Kerala's textbook adaptations when they realised the differences between languages spoken in North and South Kerala as critical. Multilingualism must be embraced without imposing one 'correct' version or linguistic authority. We must avoid preconceived notions and acknowledge the many linguistic contexts that exist, she added. How is the learning data being collected Mr. Maheshwari explained that while each solution supported by the accelerator has its monitoring system, the accelerator itself tracks broader user journey, engagement, and retention metrics. He noted the accelerator ran three cohorts addressing distinct challenges: scale, engagement, and product contextualisation. The qualitative studies by Prof. Jain and the research organisation Sambodhi assessed the accelerator's effectiveness and user experience. Findings confirm that well-designed digital tools can support FLN in low-income settings, with localised content, interactive features, and learning agents driving engagement. Persistent challenges include uneven digital access, socioeconomic constraints, and inconsistent implementation, as detailed in the user experience study. The study stresses aligning edtech with local contexts, ensuring strong training/support systems, and incorporating continuous stakeholder feedback to refine strategies. Efforts to protect data privacy When asked about data privacy, Abhimanyu replied that all accelerator solutions comply with India's data privacy laws and remove personally identifiable tags. Collected data is aggregated, and the CSF team also conducted extensive workshops on data privacy laws, ethics and child digital safety, he added. Ms Rampal, though, highlighted persisting data privacy concerns of how student data from the Global South gets mined and sold to third parties. Structural reforms and challenges When asked about the accelerator's plans, Ms. Gupta said the team is building robust evidence to answer whether edtech solutions do improve learning outcomes, a process that will take time. 'The Indian education landscape does have a learning outcome problem. The real question is whether edtech can solve this while also catering to the country's diversity and scale.' Mr. Maheshwari spoke about the need to acknowledge home learning at a policy level. 'With rising smartphone penetration and emerging evidence of edtech's potential to bridge learning gaps, we want home learning recognised as a key pillar of Nipun Bharat,' he said. Budget allocations for primary-grade digital learning would help sustain these solutions through government adoption, he added. Currently, ICT policies under the Samagra Shiksha scheme mostly fund computer labs for secondary grades. Sustainability remains a challenge, with most solutions relying on CSR and philanthropic funds. 'We're calculating per-child costs while maintaining quality.' 'For now, grants will fund these evidence-backed solutions, aiming to spur government policy and budget reforms,' he said. Point taken, say edtech experts 'It's easier for governments to say that they've developed good technologies than to say they've developed good curricula or textbooks.' Ms. Rampal stressed that learning is a social process and that it's essential to create effective learning environments for students. 'If we deliberately ignore this, it's difficult to claim learning is happening.' 'Technology can be culturally alienating', she adds. 'When access is limited, like three children sharing one parent's device, learning becomes restricted and difficult.' 'With the right learning environment, children are happy to learn and work hard', Ms. Gupta acknowledged the scepticism towards edtech. 'It's fair to question whether a solution is just flashy tech or actually improves learning.' To address this, she stressed pedagogy-first design over technology. CSF has partnered with IIT Bombay and Delhi to create EdTech Tulna—a global benchmarking tool assessing content, UI/UX, and other aspects to rigorously evaluate solutions. 'This rubric has guided our accelerator,' she added. Tulna is now part of government RFPs for edtech procurement. Ms. Gupta reiterated, 'Tech augments education; it doesn't replace it.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AIAA, CSF, SFA, and SGAC Collaborate to Expand ASCEND 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Integrated Event Scheduled for 19–21 May 2026 RESTON, Va., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Commercial Space Federation (CSF), the Space Force Association (SFA), and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) announced today they are joining forces on an integrated space event, ASCEND 2026, spanning the week of 19–21 May 2026 in Washington, D.C. 'The vision of ASCEND has always been as a platform for accelerating the use of space for exploration, R&D, national security, and commercial innovation,' said Clay Mowry, chief executive officer, AIAA. 'We are thrilled to bring ASCEND to the nation's capital with these new event partners. Our new collaboration isn't just exciting, it's transformative – creating enormous synergies for the space community for learning, technical exchange, and in-depth dialogue. This new 'Space Week' will showcase the full spectrum of space policy, commerce, security, and innovation to build our off-world future.' Space Policy and Leadership – Commercial Space Federation (CSF)CSF is joining ASCEND as the premier event partner to design and deliver programming during ASCEND 2026 on the most pressing commercial space issues facing the industry. This move will continue CSF's leadership on space policy discussions that were historically held during its flagship Washington, D.C., event, the Commercial Space Policy Conference. Dave Cavossa, president, CSF, added, 'CSF is excited to join forces with AIAA and other partners to reimagine a modern space event that is aligned to the policy challenges of today and tomorrow for the commercial space ecosystem. We want those vital discussions to happen in Washington, D.C., bringing all the critical voices together in the town where so much of our global space policy is shaped.' National Security Space – Space Force Association (SFA)Through an enhanced focus on national security space, ASCEND 2026 will feature expanded content highlighting its criticality to this community. SFA will provide sessions and speakers in the expanded event, designed to enable U.S. Space Force Guardians to collaborate with the commercial and civil space communities to enhance strategic partnerships and counter growing threats. In addition, ASCEND 2026 will feature a classified event that will provide attendees with mission critical insights. Next Generation of Aerospace Professionals – Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) As the largest network of university students and young professionals working in the global aerospace industry, SGAC will deliver its signature fast-paced, content-rich programming to ASCEND 2026. Modeled on the TEDx 'lightning talk' format used at its previous SGx event, SGAC will create an environment where young professionals, industry experts, and government executives can network, share insights, and inspire each other. Since 2020, ASCEND has promoted the collaborative, interdisciplinary, outcomes-driven community of professionals, students, and enthusiasts around the world who are accelerating humanity's progress toward our off-world future. Lockheed Martin is the founding sponsor of ASCEND. The ASCEND 2026 Call for Content will open in early July 2025, inviting the global space community to submit technical abstracts and propose collaborative session topics across a broad range of disciplines. AIAA Contact: Rebecca Gray, RebeccaG@ 804-397-5270 CSF Contact: Kenya McEachern, kenya@ Contact: Karen Lawrie, publicaffairs@ Contact: Tatiana Komorna, About AIAA AIAA is the world's largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit or follow us: X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. About Commercial Space FederationCSF is the leading U.S.-based trade association representing the commercial space industry. Our members represent multiple sectors of the space economy including launch and reentry, remote sensing, spaceports, satellite-based internet, in-space research and manufacturing, commercial space stations, space situational awareness, and more. CSF and its members are focused on expanding America's leadership in space by offering innovative – and often less expensive – solutions to U.S. government customers including NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and the intelligence community. CSF advocates for policies that will grow a sustainable space economy, the global value of which is already estimated at $570 billion and projected to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035. About Space Force AssociationThe Space Force Association (SFA) is the only independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves as a professional military association whose sole focus is supporting the United States Space Force, United States Space Command, U.S. national spacepower at large, and our global partners and allies' efforts in space exploration. Its core functions are to research, inform, and advocate to achieve superior spacepower by shaping a Space Force that provides credible deterrence in competition, dominant capability in combat, and professional services for all partners. In addition, the SFA has an essential function to provide support for the men and women of the U.S. Space Force. About Space Generation Advisory CouncilThe Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications is a global non-governmental, non-profit (US 501(c)(3) organization and network that connects and represents university students and young space professionals aged 18–35 to the United Nations, space agencies, industry, and academia. With members in over 165 countries, SGAC fosters international collaboration, capacity-building, and innovation in the space sector. The organization hosts flagship events such as the annual Space Generation Congress (SGC), SGx, SGFF and regional Space Generation Workshops (SGWs), publishes policy recommendations, and provides scholarships to empower young professionals. SGAC is also dedicated to STEM outreach and advocacy, inspiring and enabling the next generation of space leaders.A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Standard
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Grasim Inds gains after Q4 PAT rises 9% YoY
Grasim Industries added 1.49% to Rs 2,715 after the company's consolidated net profit rose 9.20% to Rs 1,495.90 crore in Q4 FY25 as against Rs 1,369.82 crore posted in Q4 FY24. Revenue from operations increased 17.33% YoY to Rs 44,267.26 crore in the fourth quarter of FY25, driven by superior performance in cement, chemicals and financial services businesses. Profit before exceptional items and tax stood at Rs 4,063.33 crore in March 2025 quarter, down 9.66% YoY. The company reported an exceptional loss of Rs 67.32 crore during the quarter. The companys EBITDA in Q4 FY25 was Rs 6,548 crore, registering a growth of 6% from Rs 6,196 crore posted in Q4 FY24. Revenue from the Cellulosic Staple Fibre (CSF) business for the quarter stood at Rs 4,050.93 crore, up 8% YoY, driven by growth in domestic CSF sales volume, although overall volumes remained flat at 207 KT. Cellulosic Fashion Yarn (CFY) volumes grew by 3% YoY; however, realizations continued to be impacted by low-priced dumping from China. Revenue from the chemicals business rose by 10% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,301.51 crore in Q4 FY25. Caustic sales volume recorded moderate growth of 1% YoY, impacted by lower production due to a plant shutdown at Karwar. Specialty chemicals volume grew by 7% YoY; however, lower realizations coupled with higher input costs affected profitability. The building materials business reported revenue of Rs 25,232 crore, up 21% YoY, driven by all-round performance across cement, paints, and B2B e-commerce segments. EBITDA stood at Rs 4,406 crore, up 6% YoY, supported by improved profitability in the cement business. The new businesses remain in the investment phase, with a clear roadmap for profitable growth in the coming years. Consolidated sales volumes of the cement business (UltraTech) grew by 17% YoY to 41.02 million tons (Mt). Ready-mix concrete sales volumes grew by 19% YoY to 3.98 million. The cement businesss expansion program is progressing well, with the current (May-25) total grey cement capacity at 190.16 Mtpa, expected to reach over 215 Mtpa by FY27. The financial services business (Aditya Birla Capital), revenue and EBITDA, as consolidated in accordance with Ind AS, stood at Rs 10,252 crore and Rs 1,280 crore, registering growth of 33% and 25%, respectively. The overall lending portfolio (NBFC and HFC) increased by 27% YoY to Rs 1,37,946 crore. The Financial Services business, consolidated in accordance with Ind AS, reported revenue of Rs 12,197 crore, up 16% YoY. Aditya Birla Capitals total lending portfolio (including NBFC and HFC) grew by 27% YoY to Rs 1,57,404 crore. Total Assets Under Management (AUM) across AMC, life, and health insurance segments rose by 17% YoY to Rs 5,11,260 crore. The direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform, ABCD, witnessed a strong response, with over 5.5 million customer acquisitions. Revenue from other businesses (textiles, renewables, and insulators) stood at Rs 898 crore, up 14% year-on-year (YoY), while EBITDA rose 33% YoY to Rs 139 crore, primarily driven by the renewables business. The cumulative installed capacity of the Renewables segment reached approximately 1.5 GWp, up 64% from 894 MWp in March 2024. The textiles business reported revenue of Rs 547 crore, up 2% YoY; however, EBITDA was impacted by exceptionally high input prices in the linen segment. On the outlook front, the firm stated, Grasims standalone business is undergoing a strategic transformation, marked by a decisive foray into consumer-facing and digital ventures in decorative paints and B2B e-commerce for construction materials. The rapid scale-up of these verticals signals the emergence of robust new growth engines in a fast-evolving economic landscape. These new high-growth businesses are now well poised to complement Grasims legacy of manufacturing-led growth. With a fortified and future-forward portfolio, Grasim is now uniquely positioned to align with, and actively contribute to, the governments ambitious vision for a Viksit Bharat, a developed India anchored in innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. Capital expenditure for the year on a standalone basis stood at Rs 3,513 crore, of which approximately 65% (around ₹2,300 crore) was allocated to new businesses, primarily paints and B2B e-commerce. Meanwhile, the companys board has recommended a dividend of Rs 10 per equity share for the financial year ended 31st March 2025, subject to the approval of shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company. Further, the companys board has also approved the appointment of Hemant Kumar Kadel as the chief financial officer (CFO) and key managerial personnel of the company with effect from 16th August 2025. This appointment is consequent to the superannuation of Pavan Kumar Jain in terms of the companys policy. He will be relieved of his current responsibilities as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company from the close of business hours of 15th August 2025. Grasim Industries, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is a leading diversified player with leadership presence across many sectors. It is a leading global producer of viscose staple Fibre and viscose filament yarn, the largest chlor-alkali, advanced material, linen yarn and fabrics producer in India. The company recently has entered paints business and setting up six plants across pan-India locations.
Business Standard
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Grasim Inds gains after Q4 PAT rises 9% YoY; recommended dividend of Rs 10/sh
Grasim Industries added 1.49% to Rs 2,715 after the company's consolidated net profit rose 9.20% to Rs 1,495.90 crore in Q4 FY25 as against Rs 1,369.82 crore posted in Q4 FY24. Revenue from operations increased 17.33% YoY to Rs 44,267.26 crore in the fourth quarter of FY25, driven by superior performance in cement, chemicals and financial services businesses. Profit before exceptional items and tax stood at Rs 4,063.33 crore in March 2025 quarter, down 9.66% YoY. The company reported an exceptional loss of Rs 67.32 crore during the quarter. The companys EBITDA in Q4 FY25 was Rs 6,548 crore, registering a growth of 6% from Rs 6,196 crore posted in Q4 FY24. Revenue from the Cellulosic Staple Fibre (CSF) business for the quarter stood at Rs 4,050.93 crore, up 8% YoY, driven by growth in domestic CSF sales volume, although overall volumes remained flat at 207 KT. Cellulosic Fashion Yarn (CFY) volumes grew by 3% YoY; however, realizations continued to be impacted by low-priced dumping from China. Revenue from the chemicals business rose by 10% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,301.51 crore in Q4 FY25. Caustic sales volume recorded moderate growth of 1% YoY, impacted by lower production due to a plant shutdown at Karwar. Specialty chemicals volume grew by 7% YoY; however, lower realizations coupled with higher input costs affected profitability. The building materials business reported revenue of Rs 25,232 crore, up 21% YoY, driven by all-round performance across cement, paints, and B2B e-commerce segments. EBITDA stood at Rs 4,406 crore, up 6% YoY, supported by improved profitability in the cement business. The new businesses remain in the investment phase, with a clear roadmap for profitable growth in the coming years. Consolidated sales volumes of the cement business (UltraTech) grew by 17% YoY to 41.02 million tons (Mt). Ready-mix concrete sales volumes grew by 19% YoY to 3.98 million. The cement businesss expansion program is progressing well, with the current (May-25) total grey cement capacity at 190.16 Mtpa, expected to reach over 215 Mtpa by FY27. The financial services business (Aditya Birla Capital), revenue and EBITDA, as consolidated in accordance with Ind AS, stood at Rs 10,252 crore and Rs 1,280 crore, registering growth of 33% and 25%, respectively. The overall lending portfolio (NBFC and HFC) increased by 27% YoY to Rs 1,37,946 crore. The Financial Services business, consolidated in accordance with Ind AS, reported revenue of Rs 12,197 crore, up 16% YoY. Aditya Birla Capitals total lending portfolio (including NBFC and HFC) grew by 27% YoY to Rs 1,57,404 crore. Total Assets Under Management (AUM) across AMC, life, and health insurance segments rose by 17% YoY to Rs 5,11,260 crore. The direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform, ABCD, witnessed a strong response, with over 5.5 million customer acquisitions. Revenue from other businesses (textiles, renewables, and insulators) stood at Rs 898 crore, up 14% year-on-year (YoY), while EBITDA rose 33% YoY to Rs 139 crore, primarily driven by the renewables business. The cumulative installed capacity of the Renewables segment reached approximately 1.5 GWp, up 64% from 894 MWp in March 2024. The textiles business reported revenue of Rs 547 crore, up 2% YoY; however, EBITDA was impacted by exceptionally high input prices in the linen segment. On the outlook front, the firm stated, Grasims standalone business is undergoing a strategic transformation, marked by a decisive foray into consumer-facing and digital ventures in decorative paints and B2B e-commerce for construction materials. The rapid scale-up of these verticals signals the emergence of robust new growth engines in a fast-evolving economic landscape. These new high-growth businesses are now well poised to complement Grasims legacy of manufacturing-led growth. With a fortified and future-forward portfolio, Grasim is now uniquely positioned to align with, and actively contribute to, the governments ambitious vision for a Viksit Bharat, a developed India anchored in innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. Capital expenditure for the year on a standalone basis stood at Rs 3,513 crore, of which approximately 65% (around ₹2,300 crore) was allocated to new businesses, primarily paints and B2B e-commerce. Meanwhile, the companys board has recommended a dividend of Rs 10 per equity share for the financial year ended 31st March 2025, subject to the approval of shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company. Further, the companys board has also approved the appointment of Hemant Kumar Kadel as the chief financial officer (CFO) and key managerial personnel of the company with effect from 16th August 2025. This appointment is consequent to the superannuation of Pavan Kumar Jain in terms of the companys policy. He will be relieved of his current responsibilities as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel of the company from the close of business hours of 15th August 2025. Grasim Industries, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is a leading diversified player with leadership presence across many sectors. It is a leading global producer of viscose staple Fibre and viscose filament yarn, the largest chlor-alkali, advanced material, linen yarn and fabrics producer in India. The company recently has entered paints business and setting up six plants across pan-India locations.
Business Journals
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
These tools can help financial institutions better manage their cybersecurity risks
On Sept. 5, 2024, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) announced it would sunset its Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT) on Aug. 31, 2025. CAT was released in June 2015 as a voluntary assessment tool to help financial institutions identify their risks and determine their cybersecurity preparedness. Although the current controls addressed in the CAT are sound cybersecurity practices, the FFIEC notes that the decision to sunset arose from new and updated government and industry resources that financial institutions can use to better manage cybersecurity risks. As a result, financial institutions will need to adopt a new framework to assess their cybersecurity environment. The FFIEC does not explicitly endorse the use of any tool and mentions the use of industry-developed resources, including — but not limited to — the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls, and Cyber Risk Institute's (CRI) Cyber Profile (the Profile). The NIST CSF 2.0 provides guidance to organizations of all sizes and sectors to manage cybersecurity risks. It is organized around six core functions — govern, identify, protect, detect, respond and recover — that result in 108 controls. These functions offer a comprehensive approach to understanding, assessing, prioritizing, and communicating cybersecurity efforts. The framework does not prescribe specific actions but links to resources that provide additional guidance on practices and controls to help achieve desired outcomes. This flexibility allows organizations to tailor the framework to their unique needs and maturity levels. The CIS Critical Security Controls are a set of best practices designed to help organizations improve their cybersecurity posture. These controls are prescriptive, prioritized, and simplified, making them accessible and actionable for organizations of all sizes. The latest version, CIS Controls v8.1, includes 18 top-level controls, each with specific safeguards to address various aspects of cybersecurity. The CRI Profile was created through public and private collaboration, pulling from global regulations and cybersecurity standards, such as the International Standards Organization and NIST CSF. The Profile's framework of 318 diagnostic statements for financial institutions to rely on is based on more than 2,500 regulatory, official guidance and other supervisory provisions worldwide. The number of diagnostic statements to comply with depends on your impact on the global, national, sector, or local market if a cybersecurity event substantially impacted you. The CRI provides nine questions to help you determine which of four tiers your organization is in. In addition, the CRI Profile provides a mapping to the CAT, which can allow your institution to begin to transfer over your current framework into the CAT. However, the CRI Profile to the CAT is not a one-to-one transfer, and the items that are mapped up do not have the same language as the CAT and will require further assessment. Organizations utilizing this framework that want to transfer over the mapped items should be cognizant that the requirements of CAT can be insufficient for today's landscape. The items transferred over can be a great starting point, but it is important to review the new language and identify any additional gaps that need to be addressed to help ensure you are complying with the CRI Profile. While the FFIEC does not endorse the use of one framework over another, of the recommended frameworks the FFIEC recommends as a replacement for CAT, only the CRI Profile was specifically curated for financial institutions, has a direct mapping to the CAT for an easier transition, and the scope of the framework is customized based on your impact score. While the CAT is not set to retire until Aug. 31, 2025, it's important to begin planning your transition as soon as possible to decide which framework best suits your organization's needs; determine resources needed to complete the migration, including time and monetary; and identify potential control gaps that will need to be addressed. If your organization needs assistance migrating to any of these new frameworks, please contact a professional at Forvis Mazars. Forvis Mazars, LLP is an independent member of Forvis Mazars Global, a leading global professional services network. Ranked among the largest public accounting firms in the United States, the firm's 7,000 dedicated team members provide an Unmatched Client Experience® through the delivery of assurance, tax, and consulting services for clients in all 50 states and internationally through the global network.
