Business continuity management

What is Business Continuity Management (BCM)?

BCM is a process that helps manage the risks to the smooth running of an organisation or delivery of a service, ensuring it can continue to operate, to the extent required, in the event of a disruption. These risks could be from the external environment (eg power outages, severe weather) or from within an organisation (eg systems failure, loss of key staff).

The process will inform staff and management of weaknesses, which can combine to create a crisis. A crisis does not always escalate into a disaster, but it always threatens to do so. By improving resilience through risk assessments, impact analysis and developing structured contingency scenarios, a positive response plan can be achieved, which, in the event of a  disaster, can help responders to organise an efficient  and safe response, which can often reduce or prevent the impact of the incident.

Why do we need a Business Continuity Plan?

1. 80% of businesses affected by a major incident close within 18 months.

2. 90% of businesses that lose data from a disaster are forced to shut within 2 years.

3. 58% of UK organisations were disrupted by the September 11th disaster in New York. Of those, one in eight was seriously affected.

4. It's common sense!

Experience has shown that organisations with business continuity arrangements in place are more likely to stay in business and recover quickly in the event of an emergency than those that do not.

It is not only the major emergencies that disrupt organisations; a wide range of day-to-day disruptions can threaten the smooth running - or even the very existence - of an organisation.

Developing a Business Continuity Plan will assist you to manage your risks to ensure that, at all times, your organisation can continue operating to at least a pre-determined minimum level. This will enable you to continue service delivery during and beyond a crisis.

Without a Business Continuity Plan you could suffer loss of revenue, reputation, lose clients and contracts and may also be liable to legal penalties and be forced to stop operating.

Be prepared, and have a Business Continuity Plan

Under new Government legislation, the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Local Authorities are tasked with providing local business and voluntary organisations with advice on Business Continuity Management, aiming to ensure they are able to quickly recover from disruptions. A resilient business community creates a resilient County.

Herefordshire Council promotes business continuity planning throughout the community. For advice and assistance contact the Emergency Planning Unit at EmergencyPlanningUnit@herefordshire.gov.uk  or visit one of the external websites listed below.