Why have a Business Continuity Plan?
Business relationships are becoming more global, complex and interdependent. Incidents that occur in our own business or in the environment can reduce or even paralyse its activity, directly impacting customers and the bottom line. A “Business Continuity Plan” allows for a quick and coordinated return to normalcy after disruptions.
ISO 22301 certification is a management model compatible with ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 28001 and ISO 20000 certification, as they are based on the continuous improvement cycle (plan-do-check-act). While all these standards help to manage the business in a “normal scenario”, a Business Continuity Management System according to ISO 22301 allows for a quick and coordinated return to normal after disruptions.
Business continuity solution
We highlight the following benefits of a Business Continuity Plan:
- Improves response mechanisms in the event of loss of assets, resources or profits.
- Ensures financial viability and legal liability. It is an efficient way to strengthen the business plan, legal compliance and corporate image and reputation, creating a climate of trust with employees, suppliers, stakeholders and customers.
- It protects employee safety, trust, brand value and corporate image.
- ISO 22301 certification guarantees the conformity of the methodology and practices implemented to keep the business running in adverse conditions, minimising the impact of potential incidents on customers, stakeholders and the business environment.
Business continuity is particularly critical in sectors such as ICT services, healthcare, logistics, public administration, industry and finance.
Design and implementation of the Business Continuity Plan
- Phase 1. Defining the scope. We help you define both the scope and objectives of the management system, taking into account business continuity requirements: objectives and obligations, acceptable risk level, legal and contractual obligations, as well as the key interests of stakeholders.
- Phase 2. Identifying risk scenarios related to business continuity.
- Phase 3. Development and implementation of an efficient contingency plan that keeps the business running no matter what happens.
- Phase 4. Implementation and training of the “Contingency Plan”. This training can be contracted independently, especially for organisations that are in the process of internally evaluating their Business Continuity Management System or are in the process of certification.
- Phase 5. Contingency drill to analyse the plan and identify improvements.
This plan can be certified in accordance with ISO 22301. The standard contains the necessary requirements for designing, implementing, improving and certifying a Business Continuity Management System.
Related standards
Standards related to the continuity plan:
- ISO/IEC 27002 – Code of practice. Information security management.
- ISO/IEC 27031 – Information technology – Security techniques – Guidelines for the preparation of technologies and communications for business continuity.
- ISO/PAS 22399 – Guidance for incident preparedness and business continuity.
- ISO/IEC 24762 – Guidelines for disaster recovery services for information and communication technologies.
- IWA 5:2006 – Emergency preparedness.