Business Continuity Management
It is a management 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).
It provides the strategic framework for improving an organisation’s resilience to interruption. Its purpose is to facilitate the recovery of key business systems and processes within agreed time frames.
It is an ongoing process that helps organisations anticipate, prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disruptions, whatever their source and whatever aspect of the business they affect.
It is a generic management framework that is valid across the public, private and voluntary sectors. It is about maintaining the essential business deliverables of an organisation in an emergency. The primary ‘business’ of private sector organisations is the generation of profit, a process that BCM seeks to protect. Responders provide services to the public, and it is equally important that these are protected and resilient.
Civil Contingencies Act 2004 – Emergency Preparedness (Chapter 6)
A Guide to Business Continuity
The Local Resilience Forum has produce a leaflet that gives an overview of Business Continuity Planning and Business Continuity Management for businesses and voluntary organisations.
Please click on the frontcover of the leaflet on the right for the leaflet (134KB).
Further information:
Business Continuity Institute click here
- The BCI Good Practice Guidelines
Business Link - Practical Advice for Business
London Prepared - Business Continuity Advice
- 10 Minute Assessment (rtf)
Environment Agency - Flood Preparation Guide for Businesses
MI5 - Security Advice Business Continuity
LRF Website - FAQ page-Business Continuity
UK Resilience / Cabinet Office
- Contingency Planning for Influenza Pandemic
Preparing for Emergencies - Business Continuity
Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure - CPNI-Business Continuity
Emergency Planning Section of your local Council - please see the links page of this website for contact details of your local council.