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Business Continuity Planning

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Business Continuity Planning

Posted on by RMC
Understanding the Risk

A Business Continuity Plan is designed to safeguard your business, its people, assets and brand reputation.

A properly prepared plan will identify ways that your business can survive the effects of a disastrous event and prevent it becoming a catastrophe. It is not the intention of the Business Continuity Plan to avert a disaster; rather it is to assist the business in coping with a disastrous situation that may arise despite the precautions already taken to avoid it.

Preparation

It is desirable for plans to be evolved catering for all possible eventualities. If your business is prepared for the ‘worst case scenario’ it should ensure that lesser disruptions will be included and the overall resilience of the business will be increased accordingly.

The ‘worst case scenario’ is generally the destruction of the main or primary facility. The business continuity plan should address the logistics of continuing business operations regardless of where the threat may come from whether it is as a result of fire, flood, explosion, theft or fraud or some other incident.

It is not always possible to totally eliminate a threat to the business. It can however be anticipated and the potential impact reduced accordingly by incorporating into the business an awareness of risk management issues.

Whatever the cause, the likelihood of recovery is much greater for businesses that have:

  • • Assessed the impact that potentially damaging events are likely to have on the business.
  • • Prepared their response in advance.
  • • Tested the plan and incorporated any revisions.
  • • Invested the necessary time, consideration and money in identifying and managing the potential threats to the business.
Objective

Preparedness is the key. The objectives of having a Business Continuity Plan that has been documented, tested, and is ready for immediate use are to:

  • • Limit financial losses and hardships.
  • • Minimise the extent of business interruption.
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    • • Define alternatives for accomplishing critical business functions.
    • • Define policies which will minimise the recovery time and cost of operations and ensure a controlled emergency recovery.
    • • Provide trained personnel to handle emergency conditions and manage recovery operations.
    Assistance

    There are a variety of tools and resources available in bookstores and via the internet which include software products that will assist in producing quality plans in a document format. The key however to producing an effective plan remains the knowledge of the business, the analysis and subsequent management of any potential problems that are identified. A detailed guide to the steps that need to be completed in the preparation of a ‘Business Continuity Plan’ is available on request.

    For further information, please contact your RMC Engineer

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