Business Continuity - Why does it matter - a personal perspective

How often do we think that if only we had prepared, if only I had done something before then things would have been better? It's human nature to think that bad things always happen to the other person. Well we know that, from our own personal experience things do happen to us. Now imagine that you are responsible for running a large business and you have the same thoughts. Wouldn't it be so much better to have done something before it was too late?

You can - its call Business Continuity

Let me explain a little more. Business Continuity gives you an understanding of your business, what's critical, what you need to complete your task. It guides you on what you can do when things start to go wrong, what options you have to keep your business moving forward. It helps identify risks, and how you can reduce those risks and even help justify efficiencies in running your business.

The basic principle is to assess what you have, look at the impact of not having it and then to produce solutions to reduce the impact. That is all put into a concise plan which you can pick up and use at a moment's notice.

The key is to have the right information, at the right time to the right people.

We break down the plan for you so that you have key signposted actions at different times, initial response, crisis management, business continuity, business recovery, information disaster recovery and lessons learnt. All of these elements combine to give you a complete business resilience package for your business.

When you are dealing with the incident at the beginning and concentrating on 'putting the fire out' you can also action the part of the plan that will work to getting the business recovery under way. That might be a process that looks at the systems and activates up an alternate site. It might be a way of diverting the work to colleagues elsewhere. It The Business Continuity Plan will enable you to keep all the stakeholders informed about what is going on, it will hold all the critical contact details so you look for alternate supplies or services. You can decide what you have in your plan. Then if you are not there, someone else can pick up the plan and do it for you.

As well as your plan there will be posters, websites, personal critical contact cards that will complement the plan and provide you with up to date information before, during and after an event.

Sounds simple and that's because it is - but one cautionary note. It is not enough to just produce a plan, it has to grow and change as the business does. You need to know how to use it, and commit to keeping it current. Test your plan and strategy. Then, one day, when that need is there and you need help you can pick up your plan and know what to do with confidence.

 

Michael Bourton, Senior Security Specialist

@CQR