UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Sector Success Story in Governance, Risk, and Compliance, chooses Symbiant GRC, Risk Management and Audit Software
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has renewed its partnership with Symbiant GRC, Risk Management and Audit Software for the third consecutive year, continuing a trusted collaboration in delivering excellence across Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) management.
As one of the UK’s most vital public sector organisations, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a critical role in safeguarding the nation’s health. It monitors, analyses, and responds to infectious disease outbreaks, chemical incidents, radiation exposure, and environmental hazards, ensuring that the UK remains prepared for and resilient against current and emerging threats. Operating under the strict governance principles of the HM Treasury Orange Book, UKHSA exemplifies transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making across all areas of public health risk management.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is one of the largest and most strategically important organisations within the UK public sector. As a government body funded by taxpayers, every decision it makes is subject to intense scrutiny, strict governance controls, and rigorous value-for-money assessments. Operating under the principles of Managing Public Money and the HM Treasury Orange Book, agencies like UKHSA must demonstrate transparency, accountability, and measurable efficiency in every investment, especially when selecting long-term technology partners. Budgets are carefully controlled, procurement standards are exacting, and systems must deliver proven results at scale.
That’s what makes UKHSA’s continued partnership with Symbiant such a significant testament to Symbiant’s agile, easy to use, platform’s value and reliability. In a competitive market dominated by costly, complex platforms, Symbiant stood out by offering a fully Orange Book–aligned, modular, flexible, and truly cost-effective GRC solution that not only meets but exceeds government assurance expectations. Winning and maintaining the trust of an organisation operating at this level is an achievement that underscores Symbiant’s credibility, performance, and unwavering commitment to public sector excellence.
In an era of budget constraints, heightened scrutiny, and growing public accountability, the agency’s decision to continue with Symbiant represents far more than a routine contract renewal, it’s a powerful endorsement of trust, reliability, and tangible value.
Every public sector organisation operates within tight financial frameworks designed to ensure responsible use of taxpayer money. Procurement decisions are not taken lightly: every pound must be justified through rigorous assessments of performance, cost efficiency, and compliance with governance standards such as HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money and the Orange Book.
For an agency of UKHSA’s scale, managing thousands of users, high-stakes risks, and national data, selecting and retaining a partner like Symbiant signals that the platform not only delivers measurable outcomes but does so within the strict confines of public funding and assurance processes. It highlights how Symbiant’s fully customisable, modular model offers the public sector something rare: enterprise-level functionality without enterprise-level cost, combining flexibility, transparency, and accountability in a way that aligns perfectly with government expectations for efficiency and value for money.
Setting the Standard: Managing Risk the Orange Book Way with Symbiant GRC, Risk Management and Audit Software
The HM Treasury Orange Book sets out five core principles for effective public sector risk management, governance, integration, collaboration, structured processes, and continual improvement. UKHSA’s alignment with these principles reflects its commitment to transparency, resilience, and informed decision-making, all of which are directly supported through the Symbiant platform.
1. Governance and Leadership
The Orange Book defines risk management as an essential part of governance and leadership, fundamental to how organisations are directed and controlled.
Symbiant supports this by enabling clear accountability, configurable risk ownership hierarchies, and transparent reporting that empowers boards and Audit & Risk Assurance Committees to maintain oversight.
2. Integration
Risk management shouldn’t operate in isolation, it must be embedded in every layer of decision-making.
Through Symbiant’s interconnected modules, including Risk Registers, Controls & Policies, Incident Reporter, and Audit Working Papers, UKHSA achieves a unified, organisation-wide view of risk, ensuring that every decision is evidence-based and strategically aligned.
3. Collaboration and Best Information
The Orange Book calls for collaboration informed by the best available information and expertise.
Symbiant brings this principle to life with real-time data linking, automated notifications, and cross-department visibility, allowing departments and teams to share accurate, up-to-date intelligence effortlessly.
This capability transforms isolated data into collective insight, supporting the Three Lines Model that underpins the Orange Book’s approach to accountability and assurance.
4. Structured Risk Processes
Effective risk management requires structured processes for identification, assessment, treatment, monitoring, and reporting.
Symbiant’s dynamic risk management workflows reflect exactly that, guiding users through the full lifecycle with configurable scoring methods, automated reviews, and live dashboards.
This structured yet flexible framework allows UKHSA to maintain consistency, traceability, and compliance without unnecessary administrative burden.
5. Continual Improvement
Finally, the Orange Book emphasises the need for learning and evolution, that risk management must be continually improved through experience.
Symbiant makes that possible through action tracking, embedded audit trails, and performance analytics, enabling UKHSA to evaluate progress, identify gaps, and enhance resilience year after year.
How Symbiant Helps Public Sector Organisations Do More With Less
Meeting Orange Book standards is challenging. Maintaining them while optimising budgets is even harder. Symbiant was designed precisely for this environment.
Our modular, fully customisable GRC software provides robust functionality without unnecessary complexity or cost. Each module costs only ÂŁ100 per month*, covering unlimited active users, an approach that reflects our belief in transparency, scalability, and accessibility for organisations of all sizes and industries.
This cost-efficient model ensures departments can easily deploy tailored solutions that scale as their needs evolve, whether managing strategic risks, operational incidents, or policy compliance.
Key benefits for public bodies include:
Unlimited seats per licence, ideal for large, collaborative environments.
Integration across governance, risk, and audit functions for a single source of truth.
Fully customisable fields, workflows, and forms to match department-specific processes.
Data-driven insights that inform board decisions and strengthen assurance.
Rapid deployment without complex IT overheads or hidden costs.
This combination of agility, affordability, and assurance is why government agencies, from UKHSA to other major departments and regulators, continue to choose Symbiant as their GRC partner.
Enhanced with Optional AI Assistant
While Symbiant’s core software already exceeds public sector standards, the platform also offers an optional AI Assistant, a secure, logic-based enhancement designed to support faster, smarter analysis.
This optional feature reflects Symbiant’s continuous commitment to innovation, providing forward-thinking solutions that enhance productivity without compromising accountability or compliance.
A Partnership Built on Shared Values
The partnership between UKHSA and Symbiant demonstrates what effective public-private collaboration can achieve.
Both organisations share core values: integrity, transparency, and commitment to the public good.
Symbiant’s approach — grounded in the same principles that underpin government risk frameworks — enables UKHSA to:
Maintain full alignment with the Corporate Governance Code and Managing Public Money guidance.
Operate within a consistent Risk Control Framework, as outlined in Part II of the Orange Book.
Demonstrate robust assurance mapping across the Three Lines of Defence model.
Promote risk awareness and accountability across every level of the organisation.
By combining structure with flexibility, Symbiant helps UKHSA meet its objectives while empowering teams to take informed, responsible decisions — turning governance into a strategic advantage, not a constraint.
From Overhead to Strategic Advantage
Risk management in government is no longer a box-ticking exercise. It’s a driver of confidence, performance, and resilience. The Orange Book makes this clear, effective governance enables better outcomes for citizens, not just compliance for auditors.
By aligning with these principles, Symbiant transforms traditional risk management into a living system of assurance, collaboration, and strategic foresight. Our advanced technology ensures that organisations like UKHSA not only comply with expectations but thrive under them — turning uncertainty into insight and governance into growth.
Discover How Symbiant Supports Public Sector Excellence
If your organisation operates under the Orange Book or the UK Corporate Governance Code, Symbiant can help you achieve measurable improvement in governance, risk, and compliance, while maintaining complete alignment with government standards. Book a demo today.
All-in-One GRC & Audit Management Powerhouse
Risk Management Software
Reduce exposure, invest in the right controls, respond faster to incidents, and navigate change with confidence. With optional AI, reveal blind spots and safeguard your objectives.
Audit Management Software
Simplify and centralise audits from start to finish. Assign actions, track progress, and generate reports effortlessly. Integrated workflows enhance accountability and transparency.
Compliance Management Software
Stay ahead of evolving regulations. Automate testing, track compliance actions, and ensure your organisation meets industry standards with confidence and clarity.
