Comprehensive BCM (business continuity management) measures are essential for responding effectively to disruption and providing a minimum acceptable service during a disaster.
A crucial aspect of BCM is the development of an effective BCP (business continuity plan).
What is a business continuity plan?
The BCP is often considered the heart of a BCMS (business continuity management system).
A BCP consists of the processes and procedures an organization needs to continue operating during a disaster and recover as quickly as possible.
This information is put into a document, which is regularly tested, developed, and improved on to make sure the organization is prepared.
Who should have a business continuity plan?
All organizations, no matter their size, should create a BCP.
Every organization is at risk of a disruptive incident.
Failure to plan could have disastrous consequences for your organization, potentially resulting in your organization’s inability to recover.
What should a business continuity plan include?
1) Purpose and scope
Details of the plan should be provided, and any exclusions must be explained.
2) Responsibilities
Persons with authority during and after an incident must be assigned roles.
3) Plan invocation
Details of how and when the BCP will be invoked.
4) Developing the BCP
Information in the plan must be understood and accessible to everyone in the organization.
5) Communications
How and under which circumstances the organization will communicate with employees and their relatives, key interested parties, and emergency contacts.
6) Stakeholders
Provide information relating to essential stakeholders, including their contact details.
7) Document owner, approver, and change history record
The business continuity manager is the owner of the BCP and is responsible for ensuring that the procedure is reviewed and tested regularly.
8) Change management
The document must be published in a place that is available to all staff members, especially those directly involved in the BCP, and in all appropriate formats (digital, hard copy, etc.).
Benefits of a business continuity plan
Creating a BCP will make it easier for your organization to cope with a crisis and minimize the disruption for you and your customers.
It also demonstrates to customers and investors that your business is prepared for anything, gaining their confidence and giving you a competitive edge.
A BCP can also reduce or even avoid the risk of losing revenue if you are hit with a disruption.
Returning to business as quickly as possible minimizes the time that your organization cannot operate and is therefore unable to generate revenue.
Organizations that aren’t prepared often appear incompetent. This can damage their reputation and brand image, putting many people off associating with them, leading to a loss of customers.
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To find out more about business continuity and how you can implement a BCMS in your organization, speak to one of our experts today.
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