THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS CONTINUITY

In today’s increasingly interconnected and complex world, organisations are facing more and more threats, from natural disasters, cyber-attacks, to the pandemic and other disruptions. These can have a devastating impact on organisations of all sizes. That’s why it’s so important for businesses to be aware of Business Continuity and to know what they can do to help protect themselves.

Business Continuity is the ability of an organisation to continue to operate in the event of a disruption.

A Business Continuity plan (BCP) is a document that outlines how an organisation will continue to operate in the event of a disruption. It should include steps to protect critical functions, people, property, data, as well as a plan for resuming operations as quickly as possible.

There are many reasons why Business Continuity is important, including:

• Safeguarding your staff and customers. Having plans in place to ensure their safety and wellbeing is the most critical, without your staff or customers your business would cease to function.

• Protecting against financial losses. The cost of recovery from incidents such as cyber attacks can be very high, therefore sufficient planning and mitigations can significantly reduce this.

• Protecting your reputation. In the event of a disruption, your customers and stakeholders are likely to closely analyse how well you respond. A well-executed Business Continuity plan can highlight that your businesses is adequately prepared and capable at responding to disruptions.

There are many steps that leaders can take in relation to Business Continuity, including:

• Horizon scanning for risks and carrying out Business Impact Assessments, are there new vulnerabilities that may be emerging? How would your business cope?

• Be prepared to take action in the event of a disruption, does your business have a Business Continuity plan? Is it up-to date? Have you tested it works?

• Stay informed about Business Continuity. This includes liaising with Business Continuity experts, sharing intelligence and ideas with other organisations to promote Resilience within Northamptonshire.

If you would like to learn more on how North Northamptonshire Council can help, please visit https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/emergencyplanning/protecting-your-business