Business Continuity Context, Requirements and Scope
Implementation Guidance (The header page and this section must be removed from final version of the document)
Purpose of this document This document sets out the organisational context of the BCMS. It describes what the organisation does, how it does it, what factors influence the way it operates and the reasons for the definition of the scope of the BCMS.
Areas of the standard addressed This document addresses many of the requirements in section 4 â âContext of the Organisationâ in the ISO 22301 standard. This includes: 4. Context of the Organisation 4.1 Understanding of the organisation and its context 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties 4.2.1 General 4.2.2 Legal and regulatory requirements 4.3 Determining the scope of the BCMS 4.3.1 General 4.3.2 Scope of the BCMS 4.4 Business continuity management system
General Guidance If your organisation already has ISO9001 certification then much of the contents of this document may already be documented, in which case this information will need to be readily available at the ISO 22301 audit. This is an absolutely key document that will need involvement from senior management to put together. In overview, it describes why an effective BCMS is needed and what may happen to the organisation if one is not in place. The business impact analyses and risk assessments required by later sections of the standard will then define this in more detail. As part of the implementation you may need to meet with the various interested parties to understand their view of the risk areas and consequences of failure. You may also need to obtain legal advice if your industry is subject to significant legal or regulatory requirements. As with most of the documents in the BCMS you should ensure that all relevant parties are aware of the contents of this document, particularly as it sets out the need for additional procedures which may involve asking employees to do more work. Understanding the reason for this may reduce resistance to the BCMS within the organisation.
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