Business continuity planning (BCP) is the process of identifying and preparing for potential threats that could disrupt the normal operations of an organisation. BCP aims to minimise the impact of such incidents and ensure the continuity of essential functions and services.
Why is BCP important?
BCP is important for several reasons:
- It helps organisations to protect their reputation, assets, customers, staff, and stakeholders from the consequences of unforeseen events.
- It enhances the resilience and adaptability of organisations to cope with changing circumstances and recover from disruptions.
- It reduces the risk of financial losses, legal liabilities, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage that could result from a failure to deliver products or services.
- It supports the fulfilment of contractual obligations and compliance with relevant standards and regulations.
- It contributes to the national security and emergency preparedness of the UK by ensuring the availability of critical infrastructure and resources.
What are the key elements of BCP?
BCP involves six key elements, as defined by the British Standard BS 25999:
- BCM programme management: This is the establishment and maintenance of a framework and governance structure for BCP, including assigning roles and responsibilities, setting objectives and policies, and allocating resources and budget.
- Understanding the organisation: This is the analysis of the organisation’s internal and external environment, including its key products and services, critical activities and resources, dependencies and interdependencies, and legal and regulatory obligations.
- Determining BCM strategy: This is the development of appropriate strategies and solutions to ensure the continuity of critical activities and resources in the event of a disruption, such as alternative locations, backup systems, recovery plans, and contingency arrangements.
- Developing and implementing BCM response: This is the creation and execution of plans and procedures to respond to and manage a disruption, including incident management, business continuity, and business recovery plans.
- Exercising, maintaining and reviewing BCM arrangements: This is the testing and evaluation of the effectiveness and suitability of the BCP, including conducting exercises, audits, reviews, and updates, and implementing corrective actions and improvements.
- Embedding BCM in the organisation’s culture: This is the integration and promotion of BCP within the organisation, including raising awareness, providing training, establishing communication channels, and fostering a culture of resilience and readiness.
How to write a BCP?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing a BCP, as different organisations may have different needs, risks, and objectives. However, a general guide to writing a BCP is as follows:
- Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA) to identify the critical activities and resources of the organisation, the potential threats and impacts of a disruption, and the recovery objectives and priorities.
- Conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the likelihood and severity of the identified threats, and the existing controls and mitigation measures in place.
- Develop a BCM strategy based on the results of the BIA and risk assessment, and select the most appropriate and feasible solutions and options to ensure the continuity of critical activities and resources.
- Develop a BCM response based on the selected BCM strategy, and document the roles and responsibilities, actions and tasks, resources and equipment, and communication and escalation procedures for each phase of the response.
- Implement the BCM response by allocating and mobilising the necessary resources, conducting training and awareness sessions, and distributing and storing the BCP documents.
- Exercise, maintain and review the BCM arrangements by conducting regular tests and drills, monitoring and evaluating the performance and outcomes, and updating and improving the BCP based on the feedback and lessons learned.
Where to find more information and guidance on BCP?
There are various sources of information and guidance on BCP, such as:
- The UK government provides a range of resources and advice on BCP, including the Business Continuity Management Toolkit, the Business Continuity for Dummies guide, and the Preparing for Emergencies website.
- The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) is a professional body for BCP practitioners, offering certification, training, research, publications, and events on BCP. The BCI website (https://www.thebci.org/) contains useful information and resources on BCP, such as the Good Practice Guidelines, the Business Continuity and Resilience Report, and the BCI Knowledge Bank.
- The Emergency Planning Society (EPS) is a professional association for emergency planners and managers, offering membership, accreditation, events, and publications on emergency planning and management. The EPS website (https://www.the-eps.org/) provides access to the Emergency Planning Journal, the Resilience Standards, and the EPS Knowledge Hub.
- The AXA is a leading insurance company that offers business insurance and risk management solutions, as well as guidance and support on BCP. The AXA website (https://www.axa.co.uk/) features a Business Guardian Angel section, which provides tips and advice on how to write a BCP, how to protect your business from various risks, and how to recover from a disruption.