South African firm takes global lead as certified authority for advanced electronic signatures

Carrie Peter, managing director of Impression Signatures

To put this in perspective: while there are over 30,000 registered banks worldwide, only a tiny fraction of organisations – under 100 – have attained CA status. It’s an elite benchmark of digital trust, and Impression Signatures is not only one of them… it’s leading from Africa.

This global CA accreditation was awarded following a rigorous WebTrust audit, a standard of international credibility for certificate authorities. Remarkably, this milestone was achieved without the backing of an external partner. The company now stands as an autonomous Certified Authority, managing its own infrastructure, policies, and security practices.

Proudly female-led, globally recognised

What makes this achievement even more significant is that Impression Signatures is female-led; a rarity in both the tech and cybersecurity landscapes. At the helm is Carrie Peter, managing director of Impression Signatures and Advocacy Committee vice-chair of the Cloud Signature Consortium. Her leadership has steered the company to achieve global recognition while remaining proudly South African.

“This isn’t just a win for our business,” says Peter. “It’s a proud moment for South African innovation, and for women in tech. We’ve demonstrated that homegrown technology, led by a local team, can meet and exceed global standards for digital trust, identity assurance, and electronic signing.”

Understanding AES – a new era for high-assurance agreements

As more organisations embrace electronic signatures, the distinction between basic, digital and advanced solutions becomes increasingly important. AES align with Qualified Electronic Signatures in Europe and are specifically designed for use cases that require heightened assurance, such as signing sureties, legal contracts, medical prescriptions, and regulatory submissions.

AES is underpinned by Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a system that guarantees both the identity of the signer and the integrity of the document. “With AES, the proof is built into the process,” explains Peter. “You’re no longer relying on a simple click or typed name; you have cryptographic evidence that confirms both the signer’s identity and their intent. That’s a game changer for fraud prevention and compliance.”

In contrast to standard eSignatures, AES requires face-to-face identity verification and the issuing of a unique digital certificate. This certificate is securely stored and paired with the user’s private key, ensuring that only the verified individual can apply their digital signature.

Why global accreditation matters

While South Africa’s Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA) provides for the use of AES locally, many providers are accredited for use only within South African borders. Impression Signatures has taken a far more ambitious route, achieving one of the first global certifications as a cloud-based certificate authority through WebTrust, enabling it to offer cross-border trust services in line with international standards.

This development holds significant implications for sectors such as healthcare, finance, and legal, which often operate across jurisdictions. “We’re enabling South African enterprises to transact with confidence in a global digital economy,” says Peter. “It’s about inclusion, compliance, and being future-ready.”

A real-world use case: Digital prescriptions in healthcare

During the accreditation process, Impression Signatures piloted an AES solution for one of the country’s largest hospital groups. The objective was fourfold: eliminate fraudulent scripts, streamline operations, reduce costs, and boost in-pharmacy revenue.

Using its proprietary AES framework, Impression Signatures verified the identities of participating doctors, issued individual digital certificates, and enabled secure, cloud-based script generation. Once signed, scripts were transmitted directly to the hospital pharmacy, where medications were pre-packed for collection. Patients authenticated via USSD, ensuring full end-to-end security… all without printing a single page.

This pioneering implementation not only improved operational efficiency but also demonstrated the transformational power of AES in real-world environments. “It’s the future of digital healthcare,” says Peter.

The bigger picture

Globally, demand for high-assurance digital signing is rising fast, particularly with the growth of remote work, digital onboarding, and paperless compliance. In Africa, governments and enterprises are increasingly investing in digital trust infrastructure to enhance service delivery and reduce fraud.

“Becoming a certified authority for advanced electronic signatures is more than a credential – it’s a commitment,” concludes Peter. “We’re not just helping organisations go paperless. We’re creating a trusted identity ecosystem that empowers businesses, protects citizens, enables global interoperability, and strengthens South Africa’s voice on the global stage.”

Issued by Perfect Word Consulting (Pty) Ltd.
For more information, contact az.oc.satinirt@drowtcefrep.