The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada Launches Voilà Verified Program to Spotlight World-Class Vetted Digital Identity Solutions.

The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) has officially launched the Voilà Verified Trustmark Program – the first and only certification program to determine digital identity service compliance with the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework™ (PCTF). 

A non-profit coalition of over 115 public and private members, the DIACC develops research and opportunities to enable Canada’s confident, safe, and full participation in a global digital economy.  

“One size does not fit all when it comes to identity solutions – but ensuring a solution delivers upon a defined duty of care is critical,” says Joni Brennan, president of the DIACC. “With the PCTF, and now with Voilà Verified, there is an opportunity to adopt a framework rooted in trust – and to earn compliance recognition. Voilà Verified identifies those who are ‘walking the walk’ –  those who are delivering safe and secure access to the global digital economy.” 

The DIACC’s PCTF is a publicly available framework for identity solutions that defines client, customer, and individual duty of care. The Voilà Verified program provides a vetting and assessment opportunity where PCTF-compliant solution vendors can earn a public-facing Trustmark. The result? Spotlight visibility of trustworthy, safe, reliable, and efficient solutions.

“The PCTF being leveraged on a global scale marks a significant opportunity across industries,” says Franklin Garrigues, VP External Ecosystems at TD Bank Group, DIACC Board Vice-Chair. “Voilà Verified is rooted in safety, protection, and reliability. This program enables safe access to the global digital economy with certainty.” 

Voilà Verified presents an opportunity to grow provincial-level investments in digital identity solutions. Provincial governments who have launched identity services can now earn a Trustmark of their own, and provinces that are on the cusp of entering the digital solution market can do so with confidence by seeking vendors with a Voilà Verified Trustmark.  

“Going digital is a big step for governments – and now, with Voilà Verified, provincial leaders are empowered to do so with confidence by engaging solution vendors that will protect end-users first and foremost,” says Colleen Boldon, Director, Digital Lab and Digital ID Programs, Public Services and Smart Government, Province of New Brunswick and DIACC Board member.  

Ruth Puente, Voilà Verified’s Trustmark Verification Program Manager, says a leading component of the program’s development was to ensure its procedures aligned with the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). 

“Voilà Verified is inclusive yet diligent in verifying PCTF-compliant solutions. The program was developed in alignment with ISO standards – and empowers informed decision making in a rapidly growing ecosystem of identity solutions.”

Puente, based in Madrid, Spain, brings international perspective and expertise to the Voilà Verified program with deep experience in internet governance policy and public affairs, trust and privacy innovation, and digital identity frameworks and certification.

“Delivering high-quality service is our priority. Customer protection is our priority. Increasing access to trustworthy solutions is our priority. We have formed teams of international experts to perform assessments and to oversee the process through an impartial lens,” says Puente. 

Entities who are responsible for assessing PCTF compliance within the Voilà Verified program are known as Accredited Assessors, Readiness Advisors, and Testing Laboratories.

The first official Accredited Assessor and Readiness Advisor is KUMA, a private sector DIACC member and a global privacy, security, and identity consulting firm specializing in custom cybersecurity solutions – now the world’s first and only assessor to offer identity assessments in the US, Canada, and the UK. 

“KUMA is bringing the same expertise to the Voilà Verified program that we’ve been bringing to our clients for over a decade,” says Michael Magrath, KUMA’s Managing Director of Digital Identity. “We are dedicated, alongside the DIACC, to generate growth opportunities for identity solutions across Canada and the globe.” 

The Voilà Verified Trustmark Oversight Board (TOB) will make all final verification decisions based on reports from accredited entities. Made up of third-party volunteers with international expertise in identity management, auditing, compliance, cybersecurity, information security, and law, the TOB is the highest operating body of Voilà Verified. It is subject to impartiality, confidentiality and conflict of interest policies. 

“Voilà Verified is a unique opportunity in which I am honoured to share my experience as an advisor and auditor within information security, compliance, and identity,” says Björn Sjöholm, Cybersecurity Entrepreneur of Seadot, and TOB Chair. 

Vendors are turning to the Voilà Verified program for several reasons, but the leading value proposition is market differentiation. Trustmark holders stand out from competitors by unlocking global business opportunities through international recognition and credibility. 

“Voilà Verified puts internationally reputable identity solutions on the map,” says Dave Nikolejsin, the DIACC’s Board Chair. “This is the way forward. With lateral growth of PCTF compliance across sectors – public and private – we establish a common value of trust. Launching Voilà Verified is a monumental stride for Canada to influence a safe and secure global digital economy.” 

Voilà Verified is ready to serve your entity today. To learn more and access your application package, visit the program overview on the DIACC website or contact [email protected].