Customer experience lives or dies on trust. As part of the CX Awards 2026, the Trust layer recognizes the data platforms, privacy and compliance solutions, and resilient infrastructure that keep customer relationships safe, compliant, and dependable.
The urgency around trust has never been higher. With global searches for AI identity fraud surging nearly 4,000% over the past year, generative AI has made it incredibly easy for bad actors to bypass traditional human verification checks. At the same time, the rapid deployment of autonomous enterprise AI agents is introducing entirely new operational and regulatory vulnerabilities, as seen in recent high-profile security incidents.
For CX leaders, trust is no longer just a compliance checkbox; it is an urgent operational requirement. Organizations must now deploy infrastructure and governance that operate at machine-speed – securing customer data and verifying identities without adding unnecessary friction to the customer journey.
Here is a closer look at the three categories within the Trust layer, including exactly what our judging panel is looking for in a winning submission.
Best Data Platform for CX
Customer data handled effectively and responsibly.
This category recognizes the platform that enables a demonstrably effective and responsible approach to customer data – turning data into better experiences without losing customer trust.
What the judges want to see:
“Tell the judges how your platform connects data to the customer. How is data collected, unified, governed, and put to work — and what has it made possible that wasn’t before? The best entries balance ambition with responsibility.”
Who should enter:
- Customer data platform vendors
- Data management and governance providers
- CX data infrastructure vendors
Best Privacy and Compliance Solution
Turning trust and compliance into competitive advantage.
Customers are more aware of their data rights than ever, and regulators are more active. This category recognizes the privacy, security, or compliance solution that builds customer trust through rigorous data governance – protecting customers while enabling, not blocking, great experiences.
What the judges want to see:
“Make the case for what your solution genuinely changed. Where did you reduce risk, increase transparency, or build customer confidence — and how did you do it without making the experience worse? The judges in this category know the regulatory landscape well.”
Who should enter:
- Privacy and compliance solution vendors
- Data protection and governance providers
- Trust and security specialists
Best CX Infrastructure Provider
The reliable foundation customer experience depends on.
Everything else in this program runs on top of infrastructure. This category recognizes the provider delivering the operational reliability and resilience that modern customer operations demand – even, and especially, when things go wrong.
What the judges want to see:
“Infrastructure stories are told in uptime and resolution figures — we want those numbers, and the human story behind them. What was at stake when the system held, and what would have happened to customers if it hadn’t?”
Who should enter:
- CX infrastructure and platform providers
- Reliability and resilience specialists
- Cloud and connectivity providers for CX
Key Dates & Next Steps
The application window is currently underway. Do not leave your submission to the last minute. Use this time to build a winning, data-backed entry.
| Date | Milestone | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Entries Open | The entry portal goes live. Choose your categories, build your submission, and lock in your entry — early submissions get a longer review window from the judges. |
| September 30, 2026 | Final Deadline | Last chance. Entries close on September 30 at 23:59 BST (15:59 PDT / 18:59 ET). Have your evidence and outcomes lined up well in advance. Entries are acknowledged, exported, and quality-checked as preparation for scoring begins. |
| October 22, 2026 | Shortlist Announced | The judging panel publishes the finalists across every category. Shortlisted entrants gain significant industry visibility ahead of the ceremony. |
| November 3, 2026 | Awards Ceremony | The winners are announced live at the CX Awards 2026 ceremony — the night the customer experience industry comes together to recognize its best. |
Frequently Asked Questions
The strongest entries balance ambition with responsibility. Judges want to see how your platform or solution reduces risk, increases transparency, or builds customer confidence without adding unnecessary friction to the customer experience.
Yes, provided your solution meets the criteria for each. However, ensure that each submission is uniquely tailored to the specific category's focus - whether that is data management, privacy compliance, or operational infrastructure.
Absolutely. All entries are visible only to the independent judging panel and the CX Awards team. Sensitive commercial figures, customer references, and NDA-bound materials remain strictly confidential and will never be published without your explicit permission. What makes a strong entry in the Trust layer?
Can I enter multiple categories within the Trust layer?
Is the data shared in my application kept confidential?
