Everything you want to know about Business Continuity

Everything you want to know about Business Continuity

by Tony Drewitt
Released March 2012
Publisher(s): IT Governance Publishing
ISBN: 9781849282024

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Book description

Business continuity is crucial to the survival of your business. Learn how to manage it effectively with this essential guide!

The risks for businesses today are increasing all the time and so are the consequences of incidents and interruptions. Too many companies lose time, customers and income because of circumstances beyond their control. Companies that have a business continuity plan in place are able to not only minimise losses and retain clients, but also win new business!

Accountability is also a new and growing aspect of running organisations. When things go wrong, people at the top are expected to be able to account for the decisions that they took, or didn't take, when times were better. Business continuity plans and arrangements developed on best-practice lines are far more likely to protect directors in the face of any post-incident enquiry.

When customers are choosing suppliers, whether looking for new ones or reviewing which to keep, most are considering not only price, but quality, financial stability and operational resilience – whether a supplier is likely to be tripped over by the slightest incident, or whether it has some credible plan. Any company can say that it has a business continuity plan, but those that can demonstrate resilience based upon best-practice principles will surely have the edge over those that cannot.

The book will guide you through domestic and international standards relating to business continuity, with particular reference to ISO22301. Companies achieving certification under the Standard will communicate to their stakeholders their commitment to uninterrupted supply.

This practical guide will show you how business continuity management can help your organisation to:

  • carry out realistic risk identification and assessment
  • put in place a cost-effective, 'fit-for-purpose' business continuity plan
  • be more competitive
  • enjoy greater customer loyalty
  • conform to the legal requirements in terms of accountability, compliance, risk awareness
  • return to 'business as usual' as quickly as possible after an unforeseen incident.

The time for burying our corporate heads in the sand and thinking 'It won't happen to us' is long past. It is time to identify the risks and to increase your company's resilience in the face of potential disasters. Everything you want to know about Business Continuity will show you how to develop a modern response to the operational risk landscape and how to prepare your organisation for interruptions to your key activities, minimising the impact on your bottom line, reputation and credibility. You will be able to identify and assess the risks to your company and put in place a 'fit-for-purpose' business continuity plan which will enable you to meet the expectations of your customers and stakeholders in the event of an unforeseen incident.

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Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Preface
  5. About The Author
  6. Acknowledgements
  7. Contents
  8. Introduction
    1. Does it really matter?
    2. Corporate governance and CSR
    3. DR, BC, BCP or BCM?
  9. Chapter 1: The Operational Risk Landscape for Business and Other Organisations
    1. Weather
    2. Energy
    3. Operational risk management
    4. The risk management process
  10. Chapter 2: What Does BCM Actually Achieve?
    1. Tangible benefits
  11. Chapter 3: An Incredibly Short History: Early DR to 2011 BCM
    1. Continuity and resilience
  12. Chapter 4: The Role of Standards and Independent Validation
    1. Business continuity standards
    2. Other standards
    3. Compliance
    4. Supply chain
    5. Corporate governance
  13. Chapter 5: The Management System Approach versus a Simple BC Plan
  14. Chapter 6: Planning the BCMS
    1. What is a BCMS?
  15. Chapter 7: Identifying the Organisation’s Requirements
    1. Risk assessment
    2. Business impact analysis
  16. Chapter 8: Strategy and Options
    1. Contingencies
    2. Physical infrastructure
    3. Information
    4. People
    5. Seasonality
    6. Incident level
    7. Output
  17. Chapter 9: Incident and Crisis Response
    1. Incidents, crises and disasters
    2. The response organisation
    3. The response team
    4. Competencies
    5. Response plans
    6. Communications
    7. Full recovery
    8. Insurance
  18. Chapter 10: The Assurance Process
    1. Exercise programme
    2. Maintenance programme
    3. Audit programme
    4. Management review programme
    5. Continual improvement
    6. Summary
  19. Chapter 11: BCM as a Competitiveness/Assurance Tool
    1. The insurance argument
    2. Cost-effectiveness
    3. Peace of mind
  20. Chapter 12: Tools and Software
    1. The BC software market
    2. What to look for in BC software
  21. Chapter 13: The New World of Sustainability
    1. BIA
    2. Business as usual
    3. Incident response
  22. Chapter 14: How to Do It
    1. Visible programme
    2. Awareness
    3. Certification
    4. Summary
  23. Appendix 1: Acronyms
  24. Appendix 2: Business Continuity Policy
    1. Policy statement
  25. Appendix 3: A Simple Risk Register
  26. Appendix 4: Incident Response Plan
    1. Use of this plan
    2. The crisis management team (CMT)
    3. Recovery time objectives
    4. Response and recovery activities
    5. Ending the business continuity phase
  27. Appendix 5: Scenario Plan
  28. Appendix 6: Activity Recovery Plan
  29. Appendix 7: Document Review and Control Procedure
    1. General
    2. Version control
    3. Retrieval and distribution
  30. Appendix 8: Corrective and Preventive Actions Form
  31. Appendix 9: Exercise Methodology/Procedure
    1. Desktop exercise
    2. Full exercise
    3. IT DR exercise
    4. Continuous improvement
    5. Reporting requirements
    6. Exercise programme
  32. Appendix 10: BCM Software Vendors
  33. Appendix 11: Suggested Software Enquiry Form
  34. Appendix 12: BCM Audit Programme and Procedure
  35. Appendix 13: IT Disaster Recovery Plan/Procedure
    1. Recovery time objectives
  36. ITG Resources

Product information

  • Title: Everything you want to know about Business Continuity
  • Author(s): Tony Drewitt
  • Release date: March 2012
  • Publisher(s): IT Governance Publishing
  • ISBN: 9781849282024