Business continuity planning lifecycle

You know your business's process and objectives better than outsiders. You are the best person to create your business continuity plan. 

To create your business continuity plan, follow the steps outlined in the business continuity planning lifecycle.

Identify the potential threats

Identify the threats facing your organisation and the risk posed by each.

Assess both the internal and external risk

The National Risk Register (NRR) is the external version of the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA). This is the government’s assessment of the most serious risks facing the UK.

The Avon and Somerset local resilience forum produce the community risk register which outlines the main risks in Avon and Somerset. It can help you to identify external risks.

Identify key activities and staff working within those areas

Identify those parts of your business that you cannot afford to lose such as information, stock, premises and staff.

Calculate the impact

Focusing on the impact of a disruption rather than the cause means that when faced with disruption or disaster, essential services can be maintained or resumed with minimum delay and cost.

Review the results

Once you’ve identified the risks and business impact, you can then use them to plan how to maintain business continuity if an incident occurs. 

Write a plan to reduce the likelihood or reduce the impact

Your plan should set out what is required for your business to run such as resources and structures. It should detail the actions, tasks and data recovery process needed in the event of a disruptive incident as well as recovery priorities and timescales. Your plan should also state who is responsible for invoking it and the contact details for those who need to be informed or involved.

For example, if the impact of a fire or flood meant you couldn’t reach your place of work, the business continuity plan would consider options such as an alternative work location.

Train your staff

Training should be as concise as possible and built in to your day-to-day activities.

Make sure your employees know about your business continuity plan and are aware of anything they may need to do. You may need to consider extra training. Implementing business continuity can be harder for larger and more complex organisations than for small businesses.

Exercise the plan

When you have produced a plan, test it. As the expert of your organisation, you can tailor business continuity processes to meet the needs of your business.

Audit the results and review regularly

Review and amend the plan after the test and in light of changing circumstances and experience.

You may already have an effective plan but are your staff aware of it? When did you last review it? Have you ever tested it? Time has moved on but have your plans?