Business Continuity Management Systems
Why do you need Business Continuity Management (BCM)?
A business does not always run on smooth lines, and that is why planning is so important if your organisation is to grow sustainably. This is where Business continuity management (BCM) comes into play. All organisations rely on a number of different aspects running smoothly to work well: think of what can go wrong with your IT, with the economy, with staff sickness or other scenarios that are entirely beyond your control. Is your business really prepared?
Business continuity management is a process that establishes an ironclad strategic and operational framework that:
- pro-actively improves your organisation’s resilience against the disruption of its ability to achieve its key objectives;
- provides a rehearsed method for restoring your organisation’s ability to supply its key products and services to an agreed level within an agreed time after a disruption;
- delivers a proven capability to manage a disruption to your business and protect your organisation’s reputation and brand.
Business Continuity Management is all about having a proper plan in place before you need it, and not to be reduced to fire-fighting in an emergency.
Your BCM must be designed around your business and plan on using and protecting your business's own resources.
While the individual processes of business continuity can change with an organisation’s size, structures and responsibilities, the basic principles remain exactly the same for organisations from all business sectors, regardless of their size, scope or complexity.
Benefits of Business Continuity Management
The benefits of an effective Business Continuity Management programme are that your organisation:
- is able to pro-actively identify the impacts of an operational disruption;
- has in place an effective response to disruptions which minimizes the impact on the organisation;
- maintains an ability to manage uninsurable risks;
- encourages cross-team working;
- is able to demonstrate a credible response through a process of exercising its emergency response;
- could enhance its reputation; and
- might gain a competitive advantage as your organisation demonstrates its planning and ability to maintain services.
The standard for effective Business Continuity management is ISO 22301. Achieving ISO 22301 certification is of great assistance if your business is interested in working with bigger companies, as it offers a guarantee that any disruption of your services will be managed and minimised.
For a free-of-charge fact-finding and advice meeting, please contact us on +44 (0)1435 830 195 or at info@edworthyconsulting.com