What is Business Continuity Management?

Business Continuity Management (BCM) is the development of strategies, plans and actions that provide protection or alternative modes of operation for those activities or business processes which, if they were to be interrupted, might bring about a seriously damaging or potentially fatal loss to an enterprise.

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Business continuity program design and deployment include the definition of policies, standards and tools to support business resilience strategies. Also, an effective BCM program should include assigning accountability and responsibilities for each key area, such as crisis management, business resumption planning and IT disaster recovery.

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Steps to Achieve an effective Business Continuity Strategy 

Business Continuity Management comprises of a series of logical and practical steps:

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Identifying Business Critical Assets – Identifying the systems, resources, internal and external elements and people that are required to deliver the organization’s business objectives.

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Business Impact Analysis (BIA) – Establishing a systematic process to determine and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business assets and operations following any disaster, accident, emergency or crisis event. BIA documentation includes specific metrics for the minimum, acceptable and maximum time frames for identified critical functions and assets to be recovered to an acceptable standard to the organization. This may include IT systems, utilities, back-up systems, personnel and facilities.  

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Business Continuity Planning (BCP) – Preparing processes and plans required for the creation of a system of responses and recovery protocols for the effective management and resumption of critical business functions as a result of any potential disruptive threats to the organization.

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Testing and Validation – Preparing and directing BCP and crisis management exercises and testing regimes that validate and continuously improve the organizations business continuity strategies and plans.

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Training and Awareness – Deliver training materials and training sessions to enhance staff awareness, knowledge, responsibilities and responses during a disruptive, emergency or crisis event. Training sessions can significantly enhance business continuity operations, both in terms of key response and recovery team members, as well as employees in general.

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How we can Help

Engage (Asia) offer advice on all aspects of business continuity management, IT disaster recovery management and associated crisis management solutions for public and private enterprises. Our consultants will work with you to develop a comprehensive, documented and fully integrated business continuity management system that complies with international standards.