Business Continuity Planning
This playbook provides a structured approach for creating a business continuity plan, ensuring that an organization can maintain essential functions during a crisis and recover effectively afterward.
Step 1: Project Initiation
Identify the project's scope, objectives, and stakeholders. Assemble the business continuity management team responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the business continuity plan (BCP).
Step 2: Risk Assessment
Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential threats to business operations. Evaluate the likelihood and impact of these risks materializing.
Step 3: Business Impact Analysis
Perform business impact analysis (BIA) to identify and prioritize critical business processes. Determine the maximal acceptable outage times for each process.
Step 4: Strategy Development
Develop strategies for maintaining and restoring business operations. These strategies should address the recovery of critical processes, resources, and supply chains.
Step 5: Plan Development
Write the business continuity plan, detailing response and recovery procedures, communication channels, and roles and responsibilities.
Step 6: Plan Testing
Test the business continuity plan through drills and simulations to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
Step 7: Training & Awareness
Train staff on their respective roles within the BCP. Regularly raise awareness about business continuity practices.
Step 8: Maintenance
Regularly review and update the BCP to account for changing risks, business processes, and organizational changes.
General Notes
Plan Documentation
Ensure all BCP documentation is easily accessible but secure, with backups maintained in multiple locations.
Regulatory Compliance
Make sure the business continuity plan complies with relevant industry regulations and standards.
Stakeholder Communication
Keep stakeholders informed about the BCP development progress and any changes to the plan.