Company news News & Events

How do we create trust in technology?

Beamex 11/11/2025

312 4 minutes read

Key points

Listen to this article

In a world of “zero trust,” how do we create authentic trust in technology? The answer is by reframing our thinking about trust as an explicit design decision, not an unintentional consequence – says Jan-Henrik Svensson, CEO of Beamex.

I hate the term “zero trust” because the name feels like a contradiction. The model is sound, based on the principle of “never trust, always verify”, but how can we talk about building trust in technology while championing an approach that literally starts with none of it?

That language seems so wrong when in fact we are working on systems that are secure, transparent, and therefore ultimately trustworthy.

Take the EU's Cyber Resilience Act, for example. It introduces a much-needed paradigm shift by providing a framework to embed trust directly into the design, development and lifecycle of products with digital elements, such as software and connected devices. It is a stringent cybersecurity law that makes companies walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Make trust a core design principle

The CRA came into effect on 10 December 2024, with harmonised cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements sold across the EU and EEA, irrespective of which country manufactured them. Its key provisions, which include incident reporting, vulnerability management, and secure-by-design, will come into effect in stages up until December 2027 to give manufacturers time to adjust.

The CRA operationalises zero-trust principles within a lifecycle-based, legally enforceable framework, thereby shifting security from an afterthought to an ingrained design principle. Instead of looking at regulation as a barrier, companies can build trust and transparency into their systems from the very beginning. At Beamex, we consider such regulation as an opportunity to develop trust through lifecycle-secure design.

A single security lapse in industrial contexts can have serious and far-reaching consequences. In operational technology lifecycle security is often overlooked, however. Trust depends not only on today's delivery but also on how systems are supported-from their development to decommissioning. Continuous support and improvements reinforce customer trust throughout the product's entire life.

OT and IT, previously segregated by different priorities, are now coming together, and that is gaining momentum. As operational systems become more connected, OT teams will adapt and work seamlessly with IT professionals driving innovation through rapid updates, data integration, and advanced connectivity.

A shift toward a future wherein trust is not just maintained but actively engineered at every stage of product development and operational lifecycle.

Open standards, developed collaboratively with input from all stakeholders-from companies to regulators to research organisations-have a big role to play here. At Beamex, we've been working with major stakeholders such as Germany's national metrology institute, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), to create the Digital Calibration Certificate (DCC).

It enables calibration results to be stored and shared electronically in a standardised, consistent, authenticated and encrypted format, enabling safe and secure sharing with relevant parties.

Regulate to Innovate

Critics also often argue that heavy regulation stifles innovation and pushes startups toward less-regulated jurisdictions. Our US partners worry that designing in trust and safety from day one limits innovation and slows companies down.

Of course, there’s some truth in that: regulation moves slowly, and startups might struggle to navigate the daunting compliance jungle. They often choose to establish themselves in the US, China, or India, where the rules are looser.

While Europe is often criticised for over-regulation, such regulation also brings in some much-needed predictability in these unpredictable times, providing a clear path to market that will, in fact, facilitate investment and innovation.

Also, in hazardous industries such as nuclear, chemical, and pharmaceuticals, a “move fast and break things” approach is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. Regulation cuts down uncertainty; a flat playing field means everyone knows the bottom line.

Looking ahead, analytics and AI will increasingly enhance confidence in both data and decision-making. But embedding trust into technology demands a fundamental organisational rethink at the intersection of IT and OT. In order to thrive, companies must invest in new talent, implement updated educational programs, and foster cultural transformation. Without these shifts, managing integrated environments will remain a struggle.

Embed trust into every byte and bolt.

As technology advances, it becomes harder to know what to trust: fake data, deepfakes, and misleading headlines are all challenges. We need technology not just to solve problems but to verify-can we trust the data, the calibrator, the process? End-to-end transparency covering everything from open AI models to clear software stacks to auditable decisions is key.

Our customers are asking if we are using open-source or proprietary components and who has access. The whole value chain needs to be transparent and trustworthy. We at Beamex have been able to put this philosophy of “trust by design” into our calibrators and calibration-management software. We are absolutely in the trust business: the devices give measurements that you can fully trace and audit.

For 50 years, Beamex's transparent philosophy and consistent measurement standards have positioned us as a trusted partner globally. Today, more than 15,000 customers in 140 countries, from Nigeria to Finland, rely on our accurate and dependable measurements. Our customers, from manufacturers of drugs to aerospace firms, can confidently say, “This calibration has passed. You can trust this measurement.”

We mean more than delivery: It is our commitment to support products throughout their life cycles, with firmware updates, calibration services, and clear traceability. And if anything goes wrong, we conduct open risk assessments and collaborate transparently with our customers, because you gain trust in droplets but lose it in buckets.

Trust is not an afterthought, but rather the result of deliberate design, transparent operations, and continuous improvement. Steps like the CRA and the DCC provide companies with an avenue to inject trust into every layer of their systems. When done right, this earns the confidence of customers, partners, and society.

Join Beamex on LinkedIn to discuss the article

Contact Details About Us Latest News Latest Videos

Beamex Ltd

01455 821 920
beamex.ltd@beamex.com
http://www.beamex.com
Unit 1, Interchange 21, Centre Court Leicester Leicestershire LE19 1WR GB

About us

A better way to calibrate – Since the establishment of Beamex in 1975, the company has focused strongly and consistently on calibration. Beamex is a technology and service company that develops, manufactures and markets high-quality calibration equipment, software, systems and services for the calibration and maintenance of process instruments. The company is a leading worldwide provider of integrated calibration solutions for improving quality and efficiency.

Beamex offers a comprehensive range of products and services—from portable calibrators to workstations, calibration accessories, calibration software, industry-specific solutions and professional services. Through Beamex’s global and competent partner network, Beamex’s products and services are available in more than 80 countries. Beamex is certified in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 quality standard.

Over forty years of experience in manufacturing and developing calibration equipment and systems, close co-operation with customers that have high requirements and uncompromising quality standards, shared by the people working at Beamex, are things that have made Beamex’s calibration solutions world-class. As a proof of Beamex’s success, there are more than 10,000 companies worldwide utilising its calibration solutions.

Beamex’s ISO 17025 accredited calibration laboratory is accredited and approved by FINAS (Finnish Accreditation Service). FINAS is a member of all Multilateral Recognition Agreements / Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MLA/MRA) signed by European and other international organisations, i.e. European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and International Accreditation Forum Inc. (IAF).

What we do in a nutshell

We provide products and services for companies to streamline and digitalise their calibration processes.

Douglas Calibration Services Reduces Technicians' Workload and Stress

For Douglas Calibration Services, the quality of life for its technicians - by way of workload and stress reduction -...
How do we create trust in technology?

In a world of "zero trust," how do we create authentic trust in technology? The answer is by reframing our...
Comparing Multifunction and Single-Function Process Calibrators

Accuracy of measurement is important in the process industry. Everyday, thousands of calibrations are conducted to maintain instruments accurate, operations...
Let's talk about enhancing the reliability and efficiency of gas transmission assets in the UK, in collaboration with National Grid

National Grid is the backbone of the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, and it also manages Great...
Enabling UK Gas Transmission Efficiency with National Grid and Beamex

National Grid, the owner and operator of the UK's gas National Transmission System (NTS), is transforming the way it manages...
Say Goodbye to Error-Prone Paper Calibration

Embracing Automation in Calibration Management While it’s often said that the pen is mightier than the sword, in the world...