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9 Professional Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Templates

Written by: Idorenyin Uko

Crises are inevitable in business—be it natural disasters, pandemics, human error, system failures or other unforeseen events. PwC's 2023 Global Crisis and Resilience Survey revealed that 96% of business leaders encountered disruption in the past two years and 76% stated that the impact on operations was medium to high.

As a business leader who wants to stay ahead of the game, resilience should be a top priority. You don’t want to get caught off guard during disruptions—you could lose thousands of dollars or your reputation could take a hit. That’s why it's super important to create a business continuity plan that helps you proactively anticipate and respond to crises.

A well-crafted business continuity plan (BCP) template is your organization's roadmap for surviving unexpected disruptions. It outlines the steps necessary to keep your business operational during and after a crisis.

In this article, we’ll provide nine professional business continuity plan templates to get you started and cover how to create an effective business continuity plan.

Table of Contents

What is a business continuity plan, what should a business continuity plan include, types of business continuity, how to write a business continuity plan, business continuity plan faqs.

• A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a document that outlines the procedures an organization must follow during a disaster or other significant event that may disrupt business operations.
• A disaster recovery plan aims to restore IT infrastructure, systems and operations after a crisis. In contrast, a business continuity plan is designed to ensure that essential business functions are available during and after a crisis, including personnel, facilities, processes and technology.
• There are different types of business continuity, such as operational, technology, economic, workforce, safety, environmental, security, reputation management and regulatory and compliance continuity.
• Follow these business continuity planning steps to prepare for uncertainties: assemble a team, define your goals and scope, engage key personnel in different departments, identify critical business functions and threats, analyze the impact of each threat and conduct a business impact analysis.
• Visme provides a wide range of professionally designed templates, AI tools, an online whiteboard, analytics and advanced features for efficient business continuity planning. Create a team account to collaborate with stakeholders, brainstorm and create a plan that is robust and easy to implement and update.

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a playbook that explains the procedures your company must follow to maintain or resume operations in the event of a risk or crisis. These risks may include cyberattacks, civic unrest, human errors, pandemics, natural disasters or other threats.

This plan covers your essential business processes, human resources, assets, business partners and more. It also specifies the systems and processes that need to be sustained and describes how to maintain them to minimize downtime during unplanned events.

With a solid BCP plan, your team can quickly respond to risks and crises, reduce downtime, maintain customer confidence and protect your brand reputation. It also helps your company continue to meet its obligations to customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

Business Continuity Plan vs. Disaster Recovery Plan

A business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan are both essential components of any company's risk management strategy. Together, they are considered business continuity disaster recovery (BCDR).

However, they are not the same!

A disaster recovery plan focuses on restoring IT infrastructure, systems and operations after a crisis, while a business continuity plan covers all aspects of business operations, including personnel, facilities, processes and technology.

That said, a disaster recovery plan is a crucial element for maintaining business continuity. And the action items in your organization's disaster recovery plan should be informed by the business continuity plan.

If you want your business continuity plan to be effective, remember to incorporate these key components.

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• Business Impact Analysis (BIA): This section should pinpoint the critical business functions—the essential processes and activities that keep your business running. You should also determine business processes that can be interrupted without major consequences.
• Risk Assessment or Threat Analysis: In this section, identify potential threats or risks that could disrupt these essential processes. These could include natural disasters (floods, fires, etc), cyberattacks, power outages or a global pandemic. Then, prioritize these threats based on their likelihood of occurring and the potential severity of their impact.
• Continuity Strategies and Procedures: Develop detailed plans for recovering critical business functions after a disruption. This may include communication protocols, data backup and recovery procedures, alternative work arrangements, evacuation plans, emergency contacts, etc. Be sure to address all aspects of business continuity, including people, processes, facilities and technology.
• Business Continuity Testing and Maintenance: Your plan should include regular testing and maintenance of your business continuity strategy. Business continuity exercises—like simulations and drills—are great for spotting weaknesses and making sure your strategy is effective and reliable. Conduct these exercises regularly and update the plan periodically based on what you’ve learned from them or to reflect changes in your business, technology and the threat landscape.
• Crisis Management/Recovery Team: In your plan, assemble a recovery team responsible for implementing the BCP during a crisis. Outline the roles and responsibilities of each team member, along with the training and resources required to handle crisis situations. The team should have regular meetings to go over the business continuity plan and identify any adjustments to be made.
• Employee Training and Awareness: It is essential that all members of the business recovery team receive training so they know what to do before, during and after an emergency. Your plan should highlight the type of training they need, the resources needed to implement it and how to assess its effectiveness.
• Crisis Communication Plan: Establish internal and external communication protocols during a crisis. Outline who will be responsible for communicating with employees, customers, vendors, suppliers and other stakeholders. Also, describe how information will be disseminated—text, email, social media, phone call, etc.
• Backup or Alternative Work Locations: The business continuity plan should include a list of alternate locations where operations can continue if primary facilities are inaccessible and the details of those locations. Don't forget to list any physical assets, like computers needed at the backup location to keep things running smoothly.
• Technology : Explain how you’ll maintain access to critical systems like emergency power, data backup and redundant systems in your plan.
• Continuous Monitoring and Review: Establish a process for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the BCP on an ongoing basis. This includes updating the plan to reflect changes in the business environment, technology or regulatory requirements.
• Documentation and Documentation Management: Maintain detailed documentation of the BCP, including policies, procedures and contact information. Ensure that this documentation is readily accessible to key personnel and regularly updated as needed.
• Operational Continuity: This type of continuity plan focuses on ensuring services, processes and infrastructure required for operations continue to function during and after a disruption. Operational continuity helps minimize downtime and financial losses.
• Technology Continuity: For companies that heavily depend on technology, this continuity plan keeps their IT systems and data (networks, servers, databases and applications) up and running and secure. IT continuity plans typically include strategies for data backup, system redundancy and recovery procedures.
• Economic Continuity: This continuity plan guarantees that your business will remain financially stable, liquid and profitable in times of disruption. It involves taking steps to ensure the organization is prepared to withstand potential scenarios that may negatively impact your bottom line such as accessing emergency funds, managing cash flow and securing lines of credit.
• Workforce Continuity: This plan involves having enough employees with the right skills and knowledge to handle the workload, especially during times of crisis. Workforce continuity plans may include company succession planning , cross-training employees, implementing remote work options or leveraging technology to automate specific tasks.
• Safety Continuity: Safety continuity addresses the well-being and safety of employees during a disruption. This involves guaranteeing their safety, providing support services, creating a comfortable work environment and ensuring employees have the tools they need to succeed.
• Environmental Continuity: This type of BCP ensures your team can operate effectively and safely in their work environment. Environmental continuity may include identifying potential threats to your physical office or headquarters and developing response strategies to protect against natural disasters, fires or other hazards that could disrupt operations.
• Security Continuity: Security resilience is about maintaining the safety and security of employees, critical assets and information during disruptions, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, etc. Security continuity strategies include implementing redundant security measures, creating backup systems, identity and access management, securing endpoint devices, regular security awareness training and developing incident response plans.
• Reputation Management: This plan focuses on protecting and preserving the organization's reputation and brand image during and after a crisis. Reputation management plans include strategies for managing public perception, addressing negative publicity and rebuilding stakeholder trust.
• Regulatory and Compliance Continuity: This business continuity plan addresses compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards during and after a disruption. These may include strategies for ensuring ongoing compliance, maintaining documentation and addressing any regulatory issues that may arise.

9 Business Continuity Plan Templates

Here are nine business continuity templates you can customize to fit your branding and business planning needs.

1. General Business Continuity Plan

This lilac-themed business continuity plan is the perfect tool to prepare your company for risks or unplanned disruptions. It has dedicated sections for key contacts, communication guidelines, threat analysis, recovery phases and training and awareness.

By filling out these sections, stakeholders have a set of guidelines and procedures to follow during emergencies. You can adapt it to suit your company’s risk management strategy—no matter your business size or niche.

Each page of this plan is decorated with stunning visuals and graphics that drive visual appeal and hook your audience until the end. This template is customizable—you can edit content, change images, apply custom colors and add or remove pages.

Invite stakeholders to view, comment on or edit this plan in real time or asynchronously with Visme’s collaboration tool . Team members can also leave feedback, reply to or resolve comments.

Use the workflow tool to assign roles or different sections of the plan for team members to work on and manage progress, deadlines and corrections—all in one place.

 2. Business Continuity Plan Flow Chart

Unlike our previous example, this template is packed with stunning visuals, flowcharts and tables that illustrate your business continuity plan.

This business continuity plan example outlines the different stages of managing hard failure, from impact analysis to risk assessment and preventive measures. You’ll also find information on critical functions and key contacts and resources.

Notice how the first flowchart illustrates the link between different business functions and their threat types. There's also a table that lists the threat type, likelihood and impact. With Visme, you can easily visualize any business process with flowcharts , diagrams , charts , graphs , maps and other data visualization tools .

From a design perspective, this template is incredible. The visual hierarchy is top-notch and beautifully executed. The white text on a dark background creates a striking visual contrast that grabs readers’ attention and guides their eyes to the most important information.

3. Construction Business Continuity Plan

If you run a construction firm, this business continuity plan has everything you need to enhance your company’s resilience. It outlines all the procedures for responding to different scenarios, ensuring your company can continue operations even during adverse conditions.

This template isn’t set in stone. With our intuitive editor, you can easily adapt it to similar industries, such as architecture, engineering, project management, manufacturing, real estate development and more. This plan accounts for the project transition protocol, stakeholder communication plan, project review status, team support and training and contingency measures to be taken during a crisis.

The fusion of geometric shapes and a contemporary design layout will give your document a dynamic flair. Moreover, the black, white and red color blend creates a visually striking aesthetic.

4. Business Continuity Plan Framework

Use this business continuity framework to protect your company’s reputation. It demonstrates you have taken proactive steps to ensure operational continuity in the event of a disaster. You can replicate it to address other business continuity types such as technology, workforce, security or safety.

This template features key sections of your BCP framework: introduction and conclusions, key contacts, incident response, resource allocation, review and improvement.

The contemporary design grabs attention with its sleek layout and excellent typography, setting the stage for a fantastic reading experience.

But it's not just about aesthetics. The use of stunning images and visual assets helps illustrate the plan's critical components. Visme has an extensive library of graphics and visual assets, such as 2D and 3D icons , shapes, lines, 3D characters, stock photos and videos to make your BCP engaging and easy to understand.

5. SaaS One Pager Business Continuity Plan

Prepare for any emergencies or disruptions, such as application downtime, in your company's operations with this stunning BCP framework. This template—designed with SaaS, tech or e-commerce companies in mind—is here to help you plan for the worst and ensure your business stays up and running.

Not only does it mark the threat level as high, but it visualizes each phase of your BCP, objectives and action plan for each phase in a table format.

With its user-friendly business continuity plan checklist, you can easily prioritize operations and responses, identify critical recovery phases and create a complete restoration plan.

Do you have a draft of your plan in a Google Sheet or Microsoft Excel? Rather than filling out your table manually, you can copy and paste data into your project. You also have the option to embed your table or connect it to live data . Feel free to change the table theme or design, edit headers and cells and more.

6. Cybersecurity Business Continuity Plan

Use this cyber security business continuity plan to minimize the impact of cyber attacks or other security breaches. It ensures critical business operations can continue in the face of a security incident. With a subtle mix of white and accent colors, this template creates a minimalist look that draws the reader’s eye to your message without distractions.

The document starts with an intro that explains what the BCP is about. It further outlines roles and contact details for key personnel as well as internal and external communication guidelines.

Next up is the threat analysis and risk management plan and contracts for suppliers and partners. The final part of this IT continuity plan explains the recovery phases, procedures for responding to cybersecurity incidents and a training and awareness plan.

Remember to customize this plan to align your company’s branding with Visme’s Brand Design Tool . This sends a message that continuity planning is an integral part of your company's values and operations, rather than just a generic set of procedures.

To do this, just input your website URL; the wizard will pull in brand assets and save them in your brand kit . That way, you don’t have to manually add them every time you create a design. The best part is that you’ll have beautiful, branded templates crafted specifically for you.

7. Healthcare One Page Business Continuity Plan

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Disruptions in healthcare operations can have severe consequences not just for your patients but also to your reputation. Even during a crisis, you can’t compromise on the availability of medical supplies, equipment and critical personnel.

This business continuity plan is the key to ensuring you aren’t caught off guard. It prepares you for events such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks or disease outbreaks while minimizing the disruption to patient care.

This one-page business continuity plan analyzes the impact of each natural disaster, along with an immediate recovery strategy and long-term plan—all in a tabular format. With this detailed plan, you can keep critical systems and processes operational and continue to provide essential care and services during and after a crisis or disaster.

Keep stakeholders engaged and enhance their experience with animation and interactive elements like links, popups, hover effects, animated icons, illustrations and special effects. For example, you can link your one-pager to a website or document that contains detailed information about the plan.

8. Nonprofit Business Continuity Plan

Nonprofits need a continuity plan to continue serving their communities even in the face of adversity. This business continuity plan is designed to minimize the impact of unexpected events so your organization can continue operations and fulfill its mission.

This business continuity gap analysis template thoroughly details the organization’s financial status, cost reduction strategies, fundraising opportunities and grants, communication and transparency with stakeholders and continuous review and revisions of the plan.

If you need help tailoring the content to your project, take advantage of Visme’s AI Writer . Input a detailed prompt and watch the tool generate high-quality drafts, proofread your existing text or modify the tone to appeal to your audience.

9. Roles and Responsibilities Business Continuity Plan

This business continuity plan for leadership change is crucial for succession planning . With this template, your organization can continue operations smoothly, even during a transition period.

In this template, you will find the details for key contacts, a transition planning strategy, service delivery continuity and financial stability. Use it as a reference to guide and prepare for unexpected events that could impact leadership or key roles, such as sudden illness or other unforeseen circumstances.

This BCP design template is a stunning work of art. From the color scheme to the layout, every element is crafted to evoke emotions. Each page has beautiful visuals that strike the perfect balance between professionalism and aesthetic appeal.

Download the report in PDF or image format and share it offline with stakeholders. Alternatively, generate a shareable online URL or HTML code to embed it on your landing page or website.

Monitor how your readers engage with your plan using Visme Analytics . Gain insight into metrics, such as views, unique visits, average time and average completion.

A well-crafted business continuity plan (BCP) is your organization's roadmap for surviving unexpected disruptions— big or small.

However, business continuity management is not just about putting together a checklist of actions.

To truly prepare for the unexpected, you must approach BCP development with a proactive, strategic and intentional mindset.

In this section, we’ll break down the steps involved in writing an effective business continuity plan.

1. Assemble a Business Continuity Team

Start by forming a dedicated team responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining your business continuity plan.

Your team should work together to identify potential risks, develop plans for mitigating those risks, test them and be ready to implement them in the event of a crisis. It's important to ensure that the team is diverse, well-trained and has the resources to manage a crisis effectively.

This team should include representatives from various departments across your organization, such as IT, operations, human resources, finance, communications and legal. It’s advisable to have a high-level executive, such as a CEO, COO or CFO, who will not only provide leadership and support but also act as a link between company executives and the rest of the team.

Appoint a dedicated BCP coordinator or manager who will serve as the primary point of contact for the BCP team and coordinate activities across departments. You’ll also need a communications expert to handle information sharing related to the plan. Depending on your company size, you may need to bring in risk management experts, external consultants or advisors.

2. Define the Goals and Scope of the Business Continuity Plan

A well-defined Business Continuity Plan (BCP) should spell out what you aim to achieve, what your plan will cover and specific benchmarks for success.

For example, your goal(s) could be to minimize downtime for critical business functions, protect essential data and IT infrastructure from loss or damage, ensure the safety and well-being of employees during a crisis and minimize financial losses caused by disruptions.

Your scope should discuss the breadth and limitations of your plan. What type of disruption does it cover—natural disasters, cyberattacks, power outages? Which business functions are included—IT, finance or customer service? What level of detail will be provided—a high-level overview or step-by-step procedures?

Defining your goals and scope provides clear direction for the recovery team and ensures that your BCP aligns with the overall business objectives.

3. Engage Key Personnel in Different Departments

For your BCP to work, all different departments in your organization need to get involved and work together. This ensures all aspects of the business are considered and potential risks or vulnerabilities are properly addressed.

Start by mapping your critical business functions and identifying the departments that support them. Within each department, pinpoint key personnel who play a crucial role in those functions.

Then, hold brainstorming sessions with these key personnel using Visme’s online whiteboard . The goal is to learn about their key processes, the systems and applications that support your operations, the potential threats they might face, and to develop recovery strategies relevant to that department. This collaborative approach ensures that resources are allocated to the most critical areas.

4. Identify Critical Business Functions and Threats

After gathering insights from brainstorming or interview sessions, develop a list of your organization's critical functions, processes and activities. These functions will vary depending on the industry, size and nature of the organization.

Once you’ve identified critical business functions, carefully assess and analyze the potential threats that could impact them. Threats can come from various sources, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, supply chain disruptions, financial crises,  human errors and even more specific threats like losing a key supplier.

5. Analyze the Impact of Each Threat

Next, evaluate how each threat could disrupt your operations, considering factors like data loss, physical damage or employee displacement.

Evaluate the probability that each risk could occur by reviewing historical data, industry reports and expert opinions. Then, evaluate the potential impact of each risk on business operations.

When assessing the financial, operational and reputational impact of each risk, you may want to consider these questions:

• What is the potential impact on the company's reputation and brand image?
• How much revenue will be lost during the downtime?
• What are the potential costs of mitigating the risk?
• How would the risk affect the company's operations, such as production or delivery?
• How many stakeholders, suppliers or customers will lose confidence in the company?

Prioritize threats based on their likelihood of occurring and potential severity of impact. This activity will help you prioritize the most critical areas and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.

6. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

The BIA analysis helps you determine the maximum tolerable downtime (RTO) and acceptable amount of data loss (RPO) for each function. It analyzes the critical business functions within your organization, the major resources they utilize, their operational dependencies and the average time required for each function.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) refers to the maximum amount of time that a system, network or application can be down after a disruption or failure before the resulting impact becomes unacceptable.

The Recovery Point Objective (RPO) is the maximum amount of data loss an organization can withstand in the event of a disaster or system failure.

Every organization has a unique Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO). It all depends on the nature of its business, the industry it operates in, any regulatory requirements it needs to comply with and other operational factors.

What's more, different parts of a business can even have different RTOs and RPOs, which is why executives need to set them up based on their specific needs. This analysis helps prioritize your recovery efforts based on what's essential to keep your business running.

7. Develop Recovery Strategies for Each Risk

For each identified threat, develop detailed recovery strategies to ensure critical business functions can resume as quickly as possible.

For example, this might involve workforce redundancy plans, data backup and recovery procedures, alternative communication channels and plans for relocating operations to a backup site if necessary.

8. Document the Plan

Now that you have all the information you need for your business continuity plan (BCP), the next step is to draft it in a user-friendly format. That’s the beauty of pre-made templates—they can help you save time and effort.

Our templates are designed by professionals and include placeholder content that can inspire and fuel your creativity.

To get started, we recommend that you choose one of the templates we’ve shared above and customize it to meet your specific needs using Visme’s intuitive editor. You can easily edit the content, replace images, apply custom colors, input your fonts and logo and much more.

If you’re racing against the clock and need to create your BCP quickly, consider using Visme’s AI Document Generator . Write a detailed prompt explaining what you want to create, choose the design theme and watch the tool produce a plan with ready-made design and content.

If you’re creating BCPs for different risks or processes, duplicate the template and use our Dynamic Fields feature to do that.

Just create custom fields on each plan and you can make changes to multiple documents with a single click.

When drafting your plan, it’s essential to ensure that it is easily accessible to all relevant personnel and outlines the roles and responsibilities of team members during a crisis. That way, everyone knows their specific duties and responsibilities, increasing the chances of a successful response during a crisis.

9. Test and Revise the Plan

A BCP is only effective if it's tested regularly. Conduct tabletop exercises, simulations and drills to test the effectiveness of the BCP, identify weaknesses and ensure everyone understands their roles. Evaluate your company’s response to various scenarios and identify areas for improvement.

The BCP is a living document. Based on the outcomes of testing and exercises, document flaws and lessons learned and use them to update the BCP accordingly. Likewise, review and update it periodically to reflect changes in your business environment, technology or regulatory requirements.

Moreover, regularly train your employees on their roles and responsibilities during a crisis. Ensure they understand how to access and implement the BCP during a disruption. Read this article to learn how to create a successful training program that not only educates but engages your employees.

Q. Why Is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Important?

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is important because it helps your organization prepare for, respond to and recover from unexpected events that could disrupt normal business operations.

BCPs outline the procedures and strategies a company should follow during a disaster, such as a cyber attack, natural disaster or any other unforeseen event that could affect the organization's ability to operate normally.

By having a BCP in place, businesses can minimize the impact of a disruption and quickly resume operations, which can help reduce downtime, prevent financial losses and ultimately protect the organization's reputation.

Q. Who Is Responsible for a Business Continuity Plan?

A business Continuity Plan (BCP) typically falls under senior management or a designated team within an organization.

This team is responsible for identifying potential risks and threats that could impact the organization's operations, developing a BCP that outlines the steps to be taken in the event of a disruption and ensuring that the plan is regularly reviewed and updated.

In some cases, organizations may choose to hire external consultants or engage with third-party service providers to develop and implement a BCP.

Q. How Often Should You Create a Business Continuity Plan?

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) should be created, reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that it remains relevant and effective.

The frequency of reviews and updates will depend on several factors, including the size and complexity of your organization, the level of risk it faces and any changes to the business environment or regulatory landscape.

Many organizations review their BCPs annually, while others may opt for a more frequent review cycle, such as quarterly or bi-annually. However, you need to update it whenever there are significant changes to your organization's operations, such as introducing new products or services, changes in the workforce or modifications to IT systems.

Q. Why Do Business Continuity Plans Fail?

Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) can fail for a variety of reasons, including:

• Insufficient planning: Failure to recognize all possible risks and threats, unrealistic assumptions regarding the consequences of a disruption or neglecting the requirements of key stakeholders.
• Poor communication: Communication breakdown can lead to a poor execution of the plan. Employees may not be aware of their roles and responsibilities or may not have the information required to make informed decisions during a crisis.
• Failure to Test the BCP: Not regularly testing and updating the BCP through drills, exercises or simulations can result in an inability to recognize weaknesses or gaps in the plan.
• Lack of resources: A lack of resources, including funding and personnel, can also contribute to the failure of a BCP, as it may be difficult to implement and maintain the plan without adequate support.
• Overlooking human factors: BCPs that fail to account for human factors, such as panic, fatigue, or misinformation during emergencies, may struggle to manage the psychological and behavioral aspects of crisis response.

Q. How Long Does It Take to Create a Business Continuity Plan?

The time it takes to create a business continuity plan can vary depending on the size and complexity of your organization. Generally, it can take several weeks to several months to develop a comprehensive plan. With Visme’s AI document generator, you can create one in a fraction of the time.

Q. What Are the Six Phases of Business Continuity Planning?

The six phases of business continuity planning are as follows:

• Project initiation and management: This phase involves identifying the scope of the business continuity plan and selecting a team to oversee its development and implementation.
• Risk assessment: This phase involves identifying potential risks and hazards that could disrupt business operations and analyzing their potential impact.
• Business impact analysis: Once potential risks have been identified, the next step is to conduct a business impact analysis to understand the possible consequences of a disruption to different areas of the organization.
• Design and development of the business continuity plan: This phase is where you create the business continuity plan, which includes detailed procedures and protocols to be followed in the event of a disruption. It also covers all areas of the organization and outlines the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
• Testing and training: It is crucial to test and train employees on the business continuity plan to ensure that it is effective and that everyone knows what to do in the event of a disruption. This could involve tabletop exercises, simulations or full-scale tests.
• Plan maintenance and improvement: The business continuity plan should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it remains effective and up-to-date. This could involve incorporating feedback from tests and exercises, updating contact information or revising procedures based on changes in the organization or external factors.

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A well-crafted BCP is the key to ensuring your business’ resilience and long-term success.

This article provides everything you need to develop a robust BCP that prepares your organization to respond to and recover from various disruptions effectively.

Now is the time to make it count. Visme offers an extensive library of templates, AI-powered tools, an infinite whiteboard, analytics and advanced features to streamline business continuity planning. You can easily collaborate with stakeholders, brainstorm and create a plan that’s not only robust but also easy to execute and update.

Get started on creating your business continuity plan today with Visme. Sign up now to ensure your business is prepared for any unexpected disruptions.

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What Is A Business Continuity Plan? [+ Template & Examples]

Published: December 30, 2022

When a business crisis occurs, the last thing you want to do is panic.

The second-to-last thing you want to do is be unprepared. Crises typically arise without warning. While you shouldn't start every day expecting the worst, you should be relatively prepared for anything to happen.

A business crisis can cost your company a lot of money and ruin your reputation if you don't have a business continuity plan in place. Customers aren't very forgiving, especially when a crisis is influenced by accidents within the company or other preventable mistakes. If you want your company to be able to maintain its business continuity in the face of a crisis, then you'll need to come up with this type of plan to uphold its essential functions.

In this post, we'll explain what a business continuity plan is, give examples of scenarios that would require a business continuity plan, and provide a template that you can use to create a well-rounded program for your business.

Table of Contents:

What is a business continuity plan?

• Business Continuity Types
• Business Continuity vs Disaster Recovery

Business Continuity Plan Template

How to write a business continuity plan.

• Business Continuity Examples

A business continuity plan outlines directions and procedures that your company will follow when faced with a crisis. These plans include business procedures, names of assets and partners, human resource functions, and other helpful information that can help maintain your brand's relationships with relevant stakeholders. The goal of a business continuity plan is to handle anything from minor disruptions to full-blown threats.

For example, one crisis that your business may have to respond to is a severe snowstorm. Your team may be wondering, "If a snowstorm disrupted our supply chain, how would we resume business?" Planning contingencies ahead of time for situations like these can help your business stay afloat when you're faced with an unavoidable crisis.

When you think about business continuity in terms of the essential functions your business requires to operate, you can begin to mitigate and plan for specific risks within those functions.

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• Additional Crisis Best Management Practices

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Business Continuity Planning

Business continuity planning is the process of creating a plan to address a crisis. When writing out a business continuity plan, it's important to consider the variety of crises that could potentially affect the company and prepare a resolution for each.

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• Business Continuity Plan Basics
• Understanding BCPs
• Benefits of BCPs
• How to Create a BCP
• BCP & Impact Analysis
• BCP vs. Disaster Recovery Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

• Business Continuity Plan FAQs

The Bottom Line

What is a business continuity plan (bcp), and how does it work.

Investopedia / Ryan Oakley

What Is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)? 

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a system of prevention and recovery from potential threats to a company. The plan ensures that personnel and assets are protected and are able to function quickly in the event of a disaster.

Key Takeaways

• Business continuity plans (BCPs) are prevention and recovery systems for potential threats, such as natural disasters or cyber-attacks.
• BCP is designed to protect personnel and assets and make sure they can function quickly when disaster strikes.
• BCPs should be tested to ensure there are no weaknesses, which can be identified and corrected.

Understanding Business Continuity Plans (BCPs)

BCP involves defining any and all risks that can affect the company's operations, making it an important part of the organization's risk management strategy. Risks may include natural disasters—fire, flood, or weather-related events—and cyber-attacks . Once the risks are identified, the plan should also include:

• Determining how those risks will affect operations
• Implementing safeguards and procedures to mitigate the risks
• Testing procedures to ensure they work
• Reviewing the process to make sure that it is up to date

BCPs are an important part of any business. Threats and disruptions mean a loss of revenue and higher costs, which leads to a drop in profitability. And businesses can't rely on insurance alone because it doesn't cover all the costs and the customers who move to the competition. It is generally conceived in advance and involves input from key stakeholders and personnel.

Business impact analysis, recovery, organization, and training are all steps corporations need to follow when creating a Business Continuity Plan.

Benefits of a Business Continuity Plan

Businesses are prone to a host of disasters that vary in degree from minor to catastrophic. Business continuity planning is typically meant to help a company continue operating in the event of major disasters such as fires. BCPs are different from a disaster recovery plan, which focuses on the recovery of a company's information technology system after a crisis.

Consider a finance company based in a major city. It may put a BCP in place by taking steps including backing up its computer and client files offsite. If something were to happen to the company's corporate office, its satellite offices would still have access to important information.

An important point to note is that BCP may not be as effective if a large portion of the population is affected, as in the case of a disease outbreak. Nonetheless, BCPs can improve risk management—preventing disruptions from spreading. They can also help mitigate downtime of networks or technology, saving the company money.

How To Create a Business Continuity Plan

There are several steps many companies must follow to develop a solid BCP. They include:

• Business Impact Analysis : Here, the business will identify functions and related resources that are time-sensitive. (More on this below.)
• Recovery : In this portion, the business must identify and implement steps to recover critical business functions.
• Organization : A continuity team must be created. This team will devise a plan to manage the disruption.
• Training : The continuity team must be trained and tested. Members of the team should also complete exercises that go over the plan and strategies.

Companies may also find it useful to come up with a checklist that includes key details such as emergency contact information, a list of resources the continuity team may need, where backup data and other required information are housed or stored, and other important personnel.

Along with testing the continuity team, the company should also test the BCP itself. It should be tested several times to ensure it can be applied to many different risk scenarios . This will help identify any weaknesses in the plan which can then be corrected.

In order for a business continuity plan to be successful, all employees—even those who aren't on the continuity team—must be aware of the plan.

Business Continuity Impact Analysis

An important part of developing a BCP is a business continuity impact analysis. It identifies the effects of disruption of business functions and processes. It also uses the information to make decisions about recovery priorities and strategies.

FEMA provides an operational and financial impact worksheet to help run a business continuity analysis. The worksheet should be completed by business function and process managers who are well acquainted with the business. These worksheets will summarize the following:

• The impacts—both financial and operational—that stem from the loss of individual business functions and process
• Identifying when the loss of a function or process would result in the identified business impacts

Completing the analysis can help companies identify and prioritize the processes that have the most impact on the business's financial and operational functions. The point at which they must be recovered is generally known as the “recovery time objective.”

Business Continuity Plan vs. Disaster Recovery Plan

BCPs and disaster recovery plans are similar in nature, the latter focuses on technology and information technology (IT) infrastructure. BCPs are more encompassing—focusing on the entire organization, such as customer service and supply chain. 

BCPs focus on reducing overall costs or losses, while disaster recovery plans look only at technology downtimes and related costs. Disaster recovery plans tend to involve only IT personnel—which create and manage the policy. However, BCPs tend to have more personnel trained on the potential processes. 

Why Is Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Important?

Businesses are prone to a host of disasters that vary in degree from minor to catastrophic and business continuity plans (BCPs) are an important part of any business. BCP is typically meant to help a company continue operating in the event of threats and disruptions. This could result in a loss of revenue and higher costs, which leads to a drop in profitability. And businesses can't rely on insurance alone because it doesn't cover all the costs and the customers who move to the competition.

What Should a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Include?

Business continuity plans involve identifying any and all risks that can affect the company's operations. The plan should also determine how those risks will affect operations and implement safeguards and procedures to mitigate the risks. There should also be testing procedures to ensure these safeguards and procedures work. Finally, there should be a review process to make sure that the plan is up to date.

What Is Business Continuity Impact Analysis?

An important part of developing a BCP is a business continuity impact analysis which identifies the effects of disruption of business functions and processes. It also uses the information to make decisions about recovery priorities and strategies.

FEMA provides an operational and financial impact worksheet to help run a business continuity analysis.

These worksheets summarize the impacts—both financial and operational—that stem from the loss of individual business functions and processes. They also identify when the loss of a function or process would result in the identified business impacts.

Business continuity plans (BCPs) are created to help speed up the recovery of an organization filling a threat or disaster. The plan puts in place mechanisms and functions to allow personnel and assets to minimize company downtime. BCPs cover all organizational risks should a disaster happen, such as flood or fire.  

Federal Emergency Management Agency. " Business Process Analysis and Business Impact Analysis User Guide ." Pages 15 - 17.

Ready. “ IT Disaster Recovery Plan .”

Federal Emergency Management Agency. " Business Process Analysis and Business Impact Analysis User Guide ." Pages 15-17.

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How to create an effective business continuity plan

A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an event..

The tumultuous events of the past several years have impacted practically every business. And with the number of extreme weather events, cyberattacks, and geopolitical conflicts continuing to rise, business leaders are bracing for the possibility of increasingly more frequent impactful incidents their organizations will need to respond to.

According to PwC’s 2023 Global Crisis and Resilience Survey , 96% of 1,812 business leaders said their organizations had experienced disruption in the past two years and 76% said their most serious disruption had a medium to high impact on operations.

It’s little wonder then that 89% of executives list resilience as one of their most important strategic priorities.

Yet at the same time, only 70% of respondents said they were confident in their organization’s ability to respond to disruptions, with PwC noting that its research shows that too many organizations “are lacking the foundational elements of resilience they need to be successful.”

A solid business continuity plan is one of those foundational elements.

“Every business should have the mindset that they will face a disaster, and every business needs a plan to address the different potential scenarios,” says Goh Ser Yoong, head of compliance at Advance.AI and a member of the Emerging Trends Working Group at the professional governance association ISACA.

A business continuity plan gives the organization the best shot at successfully navigating a disaster by providing ready-made directions on who should do what tasks in what order to keep the business viable.

Without such as a plan, the organization will take longer than necessary to recover from an event or incident — or may never recover at all.

What is a business continuity plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a strategic playbook created to help an organization maintain or quickly resume business functions in the face of disruption, whether that disruption is caused by a natural disaster, civic unrest, cyberattack, or any other threat to business operations.

A business continuity plan outlines the procedures and instructions that the organization must follow during such an event to minimize downtime, covering business processes, assets, human resources, business partners, and more.

A business continuity plan is not the same as a disaster recovery plan , which focuses on restoring IT infrastructure and operations after a crisis. Still, a disaster recovery plan is part of the overall strategy to ensure business continuity, and the business continuity plan should inform the action items detailed in an organization’s disaster recovery plan. The two are tightly coupled, which is why they often are considered together and abbreviated as BCDR.

Why business continuity planning matters

Whether you operate a small business or a large corporation, it’s vital to retain and increase your customer base. There’s no better test of your capability to do so than right after an adverse event.

Because restoring IT is critical for most companies, numerous disaster recovery solutions are available. You can rely on IT to implement those solutions. But what about the rest of your business functions? Your company’s future depends on your people and processes. Being able to handle any incident effectively can have a positive effect on your company’s reputation and market value, and it can increase customer confidence.

Moreover, there are increasing consumer and regulatory expectations for both enterprise security and continuity today. Consequently, organizations must prioritize continuity planning to prevent not only business losses, but financial, legal, reputational, and regulatory consequences.

For example, the risk of having an organization’s “license to operate” withdrawn by a regulator or having conditions applied (retrospectively or prospectively) can adversely affect market value and consumer confidence.

Building (and updating) a business continuity plan

Whether building the organization’s first business continuity plan or updating an existing one, the process involves multiple essential steps.

Assess business processes for criticality and vulnerability: Business continuity planning “starts with understanding what’s most important to the business,” says Joe Nocera, principle in the cyber risk and regulatory practice at PwC, a professional services firm.

So the first step in building your business continuity plan is assessing your business processes to determine which are the most critical; which are the most vulnerable and to what type of events; and what are the potential losses if those processes go down for a day, a few days, or a week.

“This step essentially determines what you are trying to protect and what you are trying to keep up for systems,” says Todd Renner, senior managing director in the cybersecurity practice at FTI Consulting.

This assessment is more demanding than ever before because of the complexity of today’s hybrid workplace, the modern IT environment, and the reliance on business partners and third-party providers to perform or support critical processes.

Given that complexity, Goh says a thorough assessment requires an inventory of not only key processes but also the supporting components — including the IT systems, networks, people, and outside vendors — as well as the risks to those components.

This is essentially a business impact analysis.

Determine your organization’s RTO and RPO: The next step in building a business continuity plan is determining the organization’s recovery time objective (RTO), which is the target amount of time between point of failure and the resumption of operations, and the recovery point objective (RPO), which is the maximum amount of data loss an organization can withstand.

Each organization has its own RTO and RPO based on the nature of its business, industry, regulatory requirements, and other operational factors. Moreover, different parts of a business can have different RTOs and RPOs, which executives need to establish, Nocera says.

“When you meet with individual aspects of the business, everyone says everything [they do] is important; no one wants to say their part of the business is less critical, but in reality you have to have those challenging conversations and determinations about what is actually critical to the business and to business continuity,” he adds.

Detail the steps, roles, and responsibilities for continuity: Once that is done, business leaders should use the RTO and the RPO, along with the business impact analysis, to determine the specific tasks that need to happen, by whom, and in what order to ensure business continuity.

“It’s taking the key components of your analysis and designing a plan that outlines roles and responsibilities, about who does what. It gets into the nitty-gritty on how you’re going to keep the company up and running,” Renner explains.

One common business continuity planning tool is a checklist that includes supplies and equipment, the location of data backups and backup sites, where the plan is available and who should have it, and contact information for emergency responders, key personnel, and backup site providers.

Although the list of possible scenarios that could impact business operations can seem extensive, Goh says business leaders don’t have to compile an exhaustive list of potential incidents. Rather, they should compile a list that includes likely incidents as well as representative ones so that they can create responses that have a higher likelihood of ensuring continuity even when faced with an unimagined disaster.

“So even if it’s an unexpected event, they can pull those building blocks from the plan and apply them to the unique crisis they’re facing,” Nocera says.

The importance of testing the business continuity plan

Devising a business continuity plan is not enough to ensure preparedness; testing and practicing are other critical components.

Renner says testing and practicing offer a few important benefits.

First, they show whether or how well a plan will work.

Testing and practicing help prepare all stakeholders for an actual incident, helping them build the muscle memory needed to respond as quickly and as confidently as possible during a crisis.

They also help identify gaps in the devised plan. As Renner says: “Every tabletop exercise that I’ve ever done has been an eye-opener for everyone involved.”

Additionally, they help identify where there may be misalignment of objectives. For example, executives may have deprioritized the importance of restoring certain IT systems only to realize during a drill that those are essential for supporting critical processes.

Types and timing of tests

Many organizations test a business continuity plan two to four times a year. Experts say the frequency of tests, as well as reviews and updates, depends on the organization itself — its industry, its speed of innovation and transformation, the amount of turnover of key personnel, the number of business processes, and so on.

Common tests include tabletop exercises , structured walk-throughs, and simulations. Test teams are usually composed of the recovery coordinator and members from each functional unit.

A tabletop exercise usually occurs in a conference room with the team poring over the plan, looking for gaps and ensuring that all business units are represented therein.

In a structured walk-through, each team member walks through his or her components of the plan in detail to identify weaknesses. Often, the team works through the test with a specific disaster in mind. Some organizations incorporate drills and disaster role-playing into the structured walk-through. Any weaknesses should be corrected and an updated plan distributed to all pertinent staff.

Some experts also advise a full emergency evacuation drill at least once a year.

Meanwhile, disaster simulation testing — which can be quite involved — should still be performed annually. For this test, create an environment that simulates an actual disaster, with all the equipment, supplies and personnel (including business partners and vendors) who would be needed. The purpose of a simulation is to determine whether the organization and its staff can carry out critical business functions during an actual event.

During each phase of business continuity plan testing, include some new employees on the test team. “Fresh eyes” might detect gaps or lapses of information that experienced team members could overlook.

Reviewing and updating the business continuity plan should likewise happen on an ongoing basis.

“It should be a living document. It shouldn’t be shelved. It shouldn’t be just a check-the-box exercise,” Renner says.

Otherwise, plans go stale and are of no use when needed.

Bring key personnel together at least annually to review the plan and discuss any areas that must be modified.

Prior to the review, solicit feedback from staff to incorporate into the plan. Ask all departments or business units to review the plan, including branch locations or other remote units.

Furthermore, a strong business continuity function calls for reviewing the organization’s response in the event of an actual event. This allows executives and their teams to identify what the organization did well and where it needs to improve.

How to ensure business continuity plan support, awareness

One way to ensure your plan is not successful is to adopt a casual attitude toward its importance. Every business continuity plan must be supported from the top down. That means senior management must be represented when creating and updating the plan; no one can delegate that responsibility to subordinates. In addition, the plan is likely to remain fresh and viable if senior management makes it a priority by dedicating time for adequate review and testing.

Management is also key to promoting user awareness. If employees don’t know about the plan, how will they be able to react appropriately when every minute counts?

Although plan distribution and training can be conducted by business unit managers or HR staff, have someone from the top kick off training and punctuate its significance. It’ll have a greater impact on all employees, giving the plan more credibility and urgency.

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How to create a business continuity plan.

Axel Sukianto

To remain competitive in today's market, businesses in all industries must maintain strict production regulations to decrease downtime and critical errors that could negatively impact their reputations. Organizations can't afford to wait until an event occurs to devise a problem-solving strategy.

Your business provides critical products or services to its customers. Any interruption in that service could mean that your customers will seek ways to meet their needs elsewhere.

The term business continuity describes the way an organization maintains or quickly resumes business functions in the event of a disaster. By creating an effective business continuity plan, you're more likely to avoid downtime and the loss of critical data and infrastructure in the event of a major business disruption.

In the past, business continuity planning was largely based on physical events like a natural disaster, building fire, tornadoes, or a long-term power outage. However, as technology becomes more advanced , cyberattacks have become a major threat to businesses large and small.

This is why it's essential for all businesses to get a firm understanding of the importance of cybersecurity as a part of business continuity and how to integrate cybersecurity into your updated continuity plan before disaster strikes.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a specific set of preventive and recovery actions that key individuals will take in the event of a threat to your organization.

A typical BCP covers:

• Business processes
• Human resources
• Business partners/suppliers/ third-party vendors

Essentially, the plan should be a template or rule book to describe the best way to keep essential functions up and running during a disaster and to recover with as little downtime and damage as possible.

The goal of a business continuity plan is to predict how various disasters would affect your business and the best way to react to such an event. Unpredictable events that your plan addresses may include extreme weather conditions, fires, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and cyberattacks.

The absence of such a plan could lead to more than a financial loss and a lower competitive edge — it could actually mean closing your doors permanently. Federal Reserve economists estimate that around 600,000 businesses close permanently each year, but due to the global pandemic, an additional 200,000 businesses closed in 2020.

Reasons for business failures are often listed as lack of funds, poor management, or ineffective marketing. Business continuity planning is a way to address such potential issues before they arise.

Your business continuity plan should be in place before disaster strikes. By investing time and effort into building a team and creating a comprehensive plan, you'll be ready to respond to threats when they arise.

Take these steps to create an effective business continuity plan.

• Form a business continuity management team.
• Write a mission statement that states the objectives of the plan.
• Conduct a business impact analysis to determine the potential risks to your company.
• Write the plan procedures and details about the required tools, infrastructure, and software required.
• Test your plan and make improvements as needed.

Why Cybersecurity is an Important Part of an Effective Business Continuity Plan

A cyberattack is one of the most relevant threats faced by businesses of all sizes, across all industries. Practically all businesses store sensitive information . This may include information technology, customer contact information, personal data, and phone numbers. Due to a variety of factors, cybercrime saw explosive growth in 2021.

• 50% more cyberattacks per week on corporate networks were reported in 2021, compared to 2020.
• Ransomware damage costs reported in 2021 reached a whopping $20 billion with an attack occurring every 11 seconds. The cost is estimated to reach $265 billion in 2031 with an attack occurring every 2 seconds.
• According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021 , the average total cost of a data breach increased from 3.86 million in 2020, to 4.24 million in 2021. For the 11th year in a row, healthcare organizations experienced the highest average cost of a data breach.

While the media and the public continue to recognize the impact of cybercrime on government agencies, major corporations, and critical infrastructure, many business owners fail to recognize the potential impact of cybercrime on a small business. Yet, data shows that 43% of all data breaches involve small to medium businesses and 61% of all SMBs have reported at least one cyberattack during the previous year.

These numbers make one thing clear, cyberattacks are a clear and present threat to every business. If you hope to maintain critical business functions in the event of a cyberattack, it's essential to make cybersecurity a pivotal part of your business continuity planning process.

5 Ways to Incorporate Cybersecurity into Your Business Continuity Plan

Your business continuity plan should be a changing, growing document that is continually updated to offset new and growing potential threats to your business. Adding critical steps to address cybersecurity risks is a crucial part of updating your plan to reflect potential risks that are most likely to affect your business. Consider the ways these actions can help you be more prepared in the event of a cybersecurity attack .

1. Perform a Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis

If you have an existing business continuity plan in place, you've likely identified certain vulnerabilities and assessed the likelihood of business interruptions due to specific threats. The addition of cybersecurity to your BCP requires your business continuity team to perform a risk assessment by identifying specific assets that could be in danger and predicting the types of threats that are most likely to affect those assets. After effectively identifying specific threats, it's important to conduct a business impact analysis (BIA) to determine the financial and operational impacts such an attack would cause.

For most companies, an effective risk assessment and BIA will require identification and documentation of all devices owned by the organizations, the business areas where devices are located, and the current cybersecurity methods in place to protect each device. More detailed documentation may be necessary that categorizes devices by the level of sensitive data that is stored or transported with the device. Once you have a comprehensive view of your current cybersecurity posture , you can determine the steps that need to be taken to develop a strong cybersecurity defense.

2. Assess Third-Party and Supply Chain Risks

Your cybersecurity efforts are only as strong as the weakest link. Unfortunately, when it comes to cybersecurity, protecting the devices in your organization isn't enough. Every member of your supply chain has the potential to provide a point of access for cybercriminals seeking a way into your network.

These third parties can introduce risks to your system by failing to meet compliance standards , introducing of breaches through third-party software, or sharing corrupted data. Supply chain attacks in the US rose by 42% in the first quarter of 2021 . Yet many companies fail to recognize such threats.

If you work with third-party vendors and distributors, you likely already practice some Third-Party Risk Management strategies. This may include checking the creditworthiness or compliance history of third-party service providers.

Related: Why Third-Party Risk Management is important.

By cataloging cybersecurity risks that vendors could expose your organization to, you can begin to assess the risks that your current business relationships bring to your network. Your BCP can also include preventive steps to take when forming new partnerships, like a vendor due diligence process that considers risks before a partnership begins.

A vendor risk management checklist can help you perform a complete vendor management audit to assess potential risks third parties pose to your network.

3. Devise an Incident Response Plan

The old advice that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" holds true in the cybersecurity world. However, even the most stringent defense won't ensure you never face an attack. An incident response plan is a set of written instructions that outline your organization's preparedness to respond to an emergency that could lead to expensive downtime or damage to the organization.

Your cybersecurity response plan should include step-by-step instructions that describe how your organization should respond to data breaches , data leaks , cyber-attacks , and cybersecurity incidents. For many businesses, an incident response plan is designed to follow certain compliance regulations , such as NIST or SANS guidelines. Critical parts of your incident response plan may include data backup protocol for a complete disaster recovery plan , emergency management processes that include a communication plan, and recovery time objectives.

4. Test Your Incident Response Plan

Your incident response plan is based on data and facts that lead to the best practices for business continuity management. Yet, without tests, it's impossible to know how well your methods will work.

Once you have a clearly documented plan in place, it's important to create tests that simulate real attacks to put your plan to the test. NIST Special Publication 800-84 defines tests and two types of exercises to evaluate response policy and procedures.

• Tabletop Exercises: This exercise generally includes your business continuity team and stakeholders gathering around a table to run through a mock security event. Discussions may include roles, responsibilities, coordination, and decision-making regarding a given scenario.
• Functional Exercises: By creating a simulated environment, your business continuity team can validate their emergency response by actually performing the duties outlined in the incident response plan.
• Tests: With the use of specific software and tools, tests can use quantifiable metrics to validate the operations of an IT system or cybersecurity software in an operational environment. Tests can also be used to acquaint new cybersecurity software and tools to your network's normal environment to set parameters for effective automated alerts.

5. Continually Assess Incoming Risks and Update Practices

As technology continues to evolve, cyberattacks will become more advanced and sophisticated to generate new methods of attack. Consider how Ryuk ransomware took advantage of an exposed vulnerability to launch a devastating zero-day attack or the way the SolarWinds attack utilized discreet lateral movement to go undetected for months. Modern cybercriminals will stay on top of technology to continually search for new vulnerabilities companies aren't prepared to defend against.

Your BCP shouldn't be considered a "set it and forget it" tool that will always be ready when you need it. A review should be scheduled at least once a year to discuss any areas that need to be modified. Such changes may include key personnel changes, methods, and recovery strategies to improve your security posture. In the event of a disaster, your BCP should be thoroughly reviewed in light of new information provided by the incident.

Reviewed by

Kaushik Sen

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Understanding the Essentials of a Business Continuity Plan

In the face of unforeseen disruptions, a robust business continuity plan (BCP) is essential to preserve the trust of stakeholders. If you are able to seamlessly continue operations even in the face of sudden challenges, stakeholders are reassured of the company’s resilience and commitment to their interests.

In this blog post, we offer a comprehensive guide to business continuity planning, how it can benefit organizations and share key insights into Developing and Maintaining an Effective business continuity plan.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is an essential blueprint that outlines how a company will continue operating during an unplanned disruption in service. It’s more than just a reactive strategy; it’s a proactive measure to ensure that critical business functions can continue during and after a crisis. The purpose of a BCP is to provide a systematic approach to mitigate the potential impact of disruptions and maintain business operations at an acceptable predefined level.

The role of a BCP is crucial in maintaining operations during unforeseen events such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or any other incident that could interrupt business processes. By having a well-structured business continuity plan, organizations can:

• Minimize downtime and ensure that essential functions remain operational
• Protect the integrity of data and IT infrastructure
• Maintain customer service and preserve stakeholder trust

Why is a Business Continuity Plan Important

Immediate Response : A BCP ensures that there is a predefined action plan, minimizing downtime and demonstrating control over the situation.

Transparent Communication : Keeping stakeholders informed during a crisis promotes transparency and maintains confidence in the company’s management.

Inclusive Planning : Involve stakeholders in the business continuity plan development process. Their insights can enhance the plan’s effectiveness and ensure their needs are addressed.

Consistency in Service : By prioritizing critical operations, a BCP helps maintain the quality and consistency of services or products, which is important for customer retention.

The absence of a business continuity plan can lead to a domino effect of negative outcomes, including a tarnished reputation and the potential loss of future business. Stakeholders remember how a company responds in a crisis, and a well-executed BCP can be the difference between a temporary setback and a long-term impact on the company’s image and relationships.

Elements of a Business Continuity Plan

When exploring various business continuity plan examples, certain common elements emerge as critical for their effectiveness. These elements serve as the backbone for a robust BCP plan, ensuring that businesses can maintain operations and protect their reputation during unforeseen events. Here are some of the key components found in successful BCP examples:

Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis : Identifying potential threats and assessing their impact on business operations is a foundational step in any BCP plan.

Crisis Communication Plan : A clear communication strategy is essential to manage stakeholder expectations and maintain trust.

Recovery Strategies : Detailed procedures for restoring business functions and services post-disruption are indispensable.

Employee Training and Awareness : Ensuring staff are well-prepared and knowledgeable about the BCP plan is crucial for its successful implementation.

Case studies of successful BCP implementations often highlight how these elements are tailored to fit specific business models and industries. For instance, a financial institution may focus heavily on data security and regulatory compliance within their BCP, while a manufacturing business might prioritize supply chain alternatives and on-site safety protocols. Regular testing and adjustment of these plans are also a common thread, underscoring the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement in business continuity planning.

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Business Continuity vs. Disaster Recovery

It’s important to distinguish between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan. While both are vital, a BCP is broader and focuses on the continuity of the entire business, whereas a disaster recovery plan is more technical and concentrates on the recovery of specific operations, such as IT services. Understanding these differences helps organizations allocate resources effectively and ensures comprehensive preparedness for any type of disruption. Understanding when to activate a business continuity plan (BCP) versus a disaster recovery plan is crucial for maintaining operational resilience.

To ensure a comprehensive crisis management strategy, consider the following integration points:

Pre-emptive Planning : Establish clear triggers for when each plan is activated. For instance, a BCP might be initiated in the face of a supply chain disruption, while disaster recovery would come into play during a data breach or server failure.

Unified Communication : Both plans should have a coordinated communication strategy to inform stakeholders and employees about the status and steps being taken.

Regular Testing : Conduct joint drills that test both the BCP and disaster recovery plans to identify any gaps or overlaps in procedures.

Continuous Improvement : Use insights from drills and actual incidents to refine both plans, ensuring they evolve with the changing business landscape and technological advancements.

By integrating both plans, organizations can navigate crises with agility and confidence, minimizing downtime and protecting their reputation. Tools like Creately, with features such as real-time collaboration and visual project management, can help create and maintain these critical plans, ensuring that all stakeholders are on the same page and ready to act when necessary.

Crisis Communication Strategies within Business Continuity Planning

A business continuity plan (BCP) is not just about responding to the crisis at hand, but also about how you communicate during the disruptions and the decisions you make. Here are some best practices to ensure your crisis communication and decision-making processes effective:

Clear Communication Channels : Establish predefined channels for internal and external communication. This ensures that messages are consistent and reach all stakeholders promptly.

Designated Spokespersons : Identify individuals who are authorized to speak on behalf of the company during a crisis. This helps maintain a unified voice and message.

Factual Updates : Provide regular, factual updates to keep stakeholders informed. Avoid speculation and commit to transparency.

Decision-Making Protocols : Implement decision-making protocols that are clear and allow for swift action. This includes having a chain of command and predefined criteria for making critical decisions.

Training and Simulations : Regularly train your crisis management team and conduct simulations to prepare for potential scenarios. This ensures that when a crisis does occur, your team is ready to act effectively.

By integrating these best practices into your BCP plan, you can maintain control during a crisis, make informed decisions, and communicate effectively with all parties involved. Remember, the goal is to protect your company’s operations, reputation, and stakeholder relationships during unexpected events.

Utilizing Business Continuity Plan Templates and Tools

When it comes to developing a robust business continuity plan (BCP), leveraging templates can offer a significant head start. These templates serve as a foundational framework that can be customized to align with the specific requirements of your business. Here’s why using BCP templates is advantageous:

Efficiency in Development : BCP templates provide a structured approach, ensuring that all critical elements are considered without starting from scratch. This saves valuable time and resources.

Consistency Across the Organization : Templates help maintain a uniform response strategy, which is crucial for coherent and coordinated action during a crisis.

Ease of Customization : While templates offer a general outline, they are designed to be adaptable. This means you can tailor them to reflect your business’s unique operational processes, risk profile, and recovery objectives.

Incorporating features like crisis response directions into your BCP template is essential. With Creately you can,

• Visualize these procedures on an infinite canvas, ensuring clarity and accessibility for all team members.
• Easily modify the plan as your business evolves, with the drag-and-drop functionality, making regular testing and adjustment a seamless process.
• Create a central repository of information by having docs, links and attachments in the notes panel of any shape in your diagram.

Key Insights for Developing and Maintaining an Effective Business Continuity Plan

A robust business continuity plan (BCP) is not a ‘set it and forget it’ document; it requires ongoing attention and refinement. Here’s why regular testing, updates, and staff training are non-negotiables in business continuity:

Financial Protection : By regularly testing your BCP, you can identify and rectify gaps that could otherwise lead to significant financial losses during a crisis. It’s not just about having a plan, but ensuring it works effectively when you need it most.

Reputational Safeguarding : Your company’s reputation is on the line when disaster strikes. A well-rehearsed BCP means your team can respond swiftly and competently, preserving stakeholder trust and customer loyalty.

Customization for Evolving Threats : The threat landscape is constantly changing. Regular BCP reviews allow you to tailor your plan to new types of risks, ensuring your business remains resilient against the unforeseen.

Empowered Employees : Training staff on the BCP turns theory into practice. When every team member knows their role in a crisis, response times improve, and confusion is minimized.

Remember, a BCP is a living document. It thrives on the feedback loop created by regular drills and updates, ensuring that when a crisis does occur, your business is prepared not just to survive, but to continue operations with minimal disruption.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

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Hansani has a background in journalism and marketing communications. She loves reading and writing about tech innovations. She enjoys writing poetry, travelling and photography.

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What is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)? Purpose, Template & Examples

• Author Marie Laure Troadec
• August 29, 2023

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Key Takeaways

1.  A business continuity plan is an essential risk management tool that helps organizations proactively prepare for unexpected disruptions and events, ensuring the continuity of critical operations.

2.  By identifying and assessing potential risks and threats to their operations, businesses can develop appropriate response strategies to prevent or minimize disruption during challenging times.

3.  Businesses should avoid certain pitfalls to successfully implement their business continuity plan. These include a lack of employee engagement, an over-reliance on technology, and a failure to test their plans.

4.  By proactively addressing these areas, businesses can increase the chances of successful implementation and execution of their business continuity plans.

Ensuring business continuity is a topic high on the agenda for most businesses and one that has become increasingly paramount in light of recent events: Few things have focused attention on the need to have a contingency plan more than the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential disruption caused by a pandemic, or indeed any other unforeseen event, to a business’s operations can have significant financial, legal, and reputational ramifications that can be mitigated or even prevented if appropriate measures are put in place.

This article delves into the essential elements of a business continuity plan (BCP) and provides valuable guidance on avoiding common pitfalls to help your business implement and execute a robust plan that safeguards your operations.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan is a risk management strategy that a business implements to protect its operations in the face of an unexpected event or disruption such as a natural disaster, cyberattack, or technological failure. By anticipating and preparing for potential crises or unplanned eventualities, businesses can take preemptive measures to ensure they remain operational and maintain a sense of normalcy despite interruptions.

The business continuity planning process enables businesses to assess potential threats to their operations and identify vulnerabilities that could impact their ability to function effectively. Through the implementation of a business continuity plan, business leaders can swiftly respond to emergencies, minimizing any potential downtime and mitigating the negative effects on their operations. This proactive approach can help businesses navigate challenging situations with relative ease and resilience, ensuring minimal impact on their productivity and profits.

Main Elements of a Business Continuity Plan

A robust and effective business continuity plan will comprise the following key elements that facilitate business resilience and preparedness during uncertain times.

• Business impact analysis
• During this phase, a business will identify and assess potential risks and threats to their organization’s operations. A business impact analysis (BIA) assesses the potential consequences of disruptions in critical business functions. This allows businesses to prioritize resources, allocate budgets, and develop strategies to minimize downtime and facilitate recovery.  
• Recovery strategies
• This step addresses the risks identified in the BIA by developing appropriate responses to prevent or minimize disruption. Recovery strategies outline the immediate actions required following an incident, those responsible for implementing them and coordinating the allocation of resources.
• Plan development
• The plan development phase involves developing the framework of the business continuity plan by establishing the relevant recovery teams, establishing communication channels, creating relocation plans, and gaining management buy-in.
• Testing and maintenance
• This phase involves training and testing the relevant teams and systems by conducting exercises to measure the effectiveness of the business continuity plan and identifying areas for improvement. Processes are also established for regularly reviewing and updating the business continuity plan to account for changes in technology, previous incidents, and evolving threats and risks.

Common Business Continuity Plan Pitfalls

To ensure the efficacy of their response during unexpected events or disruptions, organizations should be mindful of common mistakes encountered in the business continuity planning process. 

An awareness of the following issues can help businesses avoid certain pitfalls which could hinder their efforts in this area:

1. Lack of employee engagement

The success of any business continuity plan hinges on an organization’s ability to execute it successfully as even the most comprehensive and detailed plan will fall flat if it is ineffective in real-world situations.

The successful execution of a business continuity plan goes beyond senior management. To ensure business continuity in times of trouble it is essential that those on the ground have also been briefed on contingency measures and are ready to step into action accordingly.  Without adequate employee training and awareness, organizations run the risk of compromising critical business functions leading to further disruptions and losses.

By prioritizing employee engagement and involvement in the business continuity plan, organizations can strengthen and streamline their response efforts ensuring a robust and resilient response to potential disruptions, while fostering a culture of confidence and preparedness within their organization.

2. Overreliance on technology

While technological solutions play a crucial role and should be a feature of any robust business continuity plan, an overreliance on digital services and technical infrastructure can pose potential challenges for organizations. 

Sole or heavy reliance on this area increases the risk of a single point of failure. This is especially pertinent at a time when cyberattacks and data breaches are prevalent creating vulnerabilities in a business’ technological systems, and thereby undermining the effectiveness of its business continuity plan. Unforeseen events such as natural disasters which can lead to infrastructure damage and power outages can also severely compromise an organization’s ability to function effectively during a crisis.

To counter these problems, organizations should incorporate a diverse range of technological and non-technological solutions into their business continuity plan, taking into account manual processes and alternatives that are not solely dependent on digital services. Data backup options should also be put in place to help businesses restore swift operations and minimize extended downtime.

3. Failure to test

Without proper testing, the effectiveness of a business continuity plan remains theoretical rather than proven in practice. Regular testing enables businesses to identify and address any gaps or limitations in their plan, avoiding the risk of critical business functions being left vulnerable in an actual crisis situation.

Through drills, real-life simulations, and tabletop exercises, organizations can learn from real-world incidents, gaining practical insight into the feasibility of their business continuity plans and identifying any areas that require improvement. Regular testing plays a crucial role in helping businesses to optimize their response strategies and ensure resilience and readiness in the face of difficult or unforeseen circumstances.

By proactively addressing and avoiding these common pitfalls, businesses can develop comprehensive business continuity plans that help to bolster their resilience, minimize disruptions, and ensure the continuity of their operations during challenging times.

BCP Template

The precise content of your BCP will depend on the nature of your business. However, below is a useful template for a typical business: 

1. Introduction

• Purpose: Outline the purpose of the BCP.
• Scope: Specify which parts of the organization this BCP covers.
• Assumptions: State any assumptions made during the BCP’s creation.

2. Business Continuity Policy

Outline the company’s policy regarding business continuity. This can include the company’s commitment to employee safety, client service, data protection, etc.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

List the key personnel responsible for executing the BCP:

• Business Continuity Manager/Coordinator
• Crisis Communication Team
• Emergency Response Team
• IT Recovery Team
• Employee Assistance Team

4. Risk Assessment

Identify potential risks and threats:

• Natural disasters
• Technological failures
• Security breaches

5. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Identify the potential impacts of each threat:

• Financial impacts
• Reputational impacts
• Operational impacts
• Legal/Regulatory impacts

6. Business Continuity Strategies

Outline strategies for:

• Data backup and recovery
• Alternate work locations
• Communication protocols
• Supply chain management

7. Incident Response Plan

Details the immediate actions to be taken following an incident:

• Alert and notification procedures
• Evacuation procedures
• Safety checks

8. Recovery Plans

For each critical department/function, provide a detailed plan on how to resume operations:

• IT systems recovery
• Resumption of critical business functions
• Communication with stakeholders

9. Training and Testing

Outline how the plan will be tested and how often, as well as any training programs for employees:

• Tabletop exercises
• Full-scale drills
• Employee training sessions

10. Maintenance and Review

Describe how the plan will be kept current:

• Regularly scheduled reviews
• Updates following any changes in the business environment or operations
• Feedback loop from testing

11. Communication Protocols

Specify how communication will be maintained:

• Emergency contact lists
• Communication methods (phone, email, etc.)
• External communication (with media, stakeholders, etc.)

12. Appendices

• Resource lists
• Vendor contacts
• Floor plans
• Backup data locations

Business Continuity Plan Examples

If you are looking for some other examples of well-designed BCPs and BCP templates, check out the following: 

• Durham County Council’s BCP
• Chisholm & Winch (UK Construction Company)
• Ready (US Government Disaster Response Resource).

Developing and implementing business continuity plans

Expertise in critical business functions such as compliance, HR management, and global payroll solutions ensures your business can confidently navigate through unexpected challenges or crises. 

Contact us today to learn how we can support your business continuity efforts and provide the stability and peace of mind you need in an ever-changing world. 

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Writing an Effective Business Continuity Plan

Power through business disruptions and ascertain operational stability with a practical and effective Business Continuity Plan (BCP).

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan is a practical guide developed by companies to enable continuous operations in the event of major business disruptions like natural disasters and global lockdowns. Business continuity planning usually involves analyzing the impact of disrupted business processes and determining recovery strategies with management. Business continuity plans should be properly documented and tested through exercises for optimal effectiveness.

The goal of a business continuity plan is to strengthen the defense of businesses against various potential disruptions. It also aims to maintain critical business functions during unforeseen disasters.

Business continuity has increasingly become a top priority for organizations around the world. A BCP is important because it helps companies maintain essential functions amid or after emergencies, protecting their reputation and minimizing financial losses. Moreover, it helps employers stay on top of disruptive incidents and empower workers to complete job tasks confidently.

What are the 7 Elements of a Business Continuity Plan?

Business continuity planning enables businesses, small or large, to ensure resilient operations. For an effective plan, the following elements should be included:

• BCP Team – Amid a disaster or emergency, having a team or point person to go to will be essential. The BCP team will be responsible for planning and testing business continuity strategies. The background of each member of the BCP team can vary from organization managers or supervisors to specialists.
• Business Impact Analysis (BIA) – A BIA identifies, quantifies, and qualifies the impact of a loss, interruption, or disruption. Having a BIA will be essential in discovering risks that your business is exposed to and the potential disruptions that may occur.
• Risk Mitigation – This element pertains to the strategies against the risks that were discovered during the BIA. Risk mitigation strategies may include putting up security and safety systems in the workplace, conducting preventive maintenance of vehicles , machines, equipment, or any asset vital to operations, and training employees , among others.
• Business Continuity Strategies – A good BCP should establish strategies or alternate practices to keep the business running despite disruptions or disasters.
• Business Continuity Plan – The business continuity plan is a combination of findings from the performed BIA and the recovery strategies established by the organization. A BCP typically includes 4 key components: scope and objectives, operations at risk, recovery strategy, and roles and responsibilities.
• Training – All relevant personnel associated with the business continuity, disaster recovery, and incident response process should be trained according to the BCP plan that’s established and agreed upon.
• Testing – In this phase, strategies and plans are rehearsed or exercised to demonstrate their effectiveness. Testing the plan before rolling it out will enable the BCP team to discover potential flaws and fix them before they lead to damage or injury. It’s recommended to review and test the plan periodically to ensure that all protocols and strategies are up-to-date.

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How to Write a BCP

Creating a business continuity plan seems to be a daunting task at first, especially for managers of operations, information technology, and human resources as they are often designated with this duty. As recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO), listed below are general steps in developing a business continuity plan for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs):

• Step 1: Determine the risk profile through a self-assessment using the 4Ps framework—People, Processes, Profits, and Partnerships.
• Step 2: Identify key products, services, or functions.
• Step 3: Establish the business continuity plan objectives.
• Step 4: Evaluate the potential impact of disruptions to the business and its workers.
• Step 5: List actions to protect the business.
• Step 6: Organize contact lists.
• Step 7: Maintain, review, and continuously update the BCP.

Create your own Business Continuity Plan checklist

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Business Continuity Plan | View Sample PDF

When planning for business continuity, it helps to break down its elements into quickly-understood segments. Keeping the plan user-focused can also help ensure usability and promote transferability. The following is a brief business continuity plan example:

Scope and Objectives: 

This BCP is to ensure the continuity of IT services and customer lines in the event of an unforeseen and prolonged power shutdown. Power disruption could be caused by emergency weather conditions or a building fire. Functional areas that are prioritized for recovery in this BCP include the customer support desk and finance team.

Operations at Risk:

Operation: Customer Support Operation Description: Customer support team looking after 24-hour global operations of live chat and customer calls for US, EMEA and APAC regions Business Impact: Critical Impact description: 100% of live chats go through the customer support team in Manila. 20% of live calls are routed to Manila office. A disruption would mean no more live chat support and customers experiencing significant wait times on calls Project timeline and team schedules

Recovery Strategy:

IT personnel and BCP committees should operate alternate backup programs and servers to help save customer requests after power outage. Customer support should be able to receive the requests and respond to customers within 30 minutes. IT Director should operate alternate server rooms in Area B if the power outage last more than an hour to prevent huge revenue loss.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Representative: Jon Sims Role: Head of Operations Contact Details: [email protected] Description of Responsibilities: 1. Must ensure BCPs are updated and must coordinate with team leaders regarding changes 2. Helps notify key stakeholders in EMEA region of threats in Customer Support programs and tools

Create and Implement Effective BCPs with SafetyCulture

Why use safetyculture.

Even when disruptions can force businesses to shut down, yours doesn’t have to. Aim for operational stability by developing and implementing a business continuity plan with the help of a simple tool like SafetyCulture. SafetyCulture is a digital platform that empowers people to work safely and efficiently through mobile checklists, actions, and reporting.

Optimize your organization’s operations and workflow with SafetyCulture. Our digital platform enables you to:

• Simplify processes by automating manual and repetitive tasks
• Maintain safety, quality, and compliance standards with digital BCP checklists
• Create powerful workflows by integrating your existing systems and software
• Gain greater visibility and transparency with real-time reporting

Take advantage of our comprehensive features to transform your organization’s capabilities towards operations excellence.

FAQs About Business Continuity Plans

What’s the difference between business continuity plan vs. disaster recovery plan.

The main difference between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan is that the former encompasses the latter—that is, business continuity planning includes disaster recovery planning. ISO 22301:2019 is the international standard for Business Continuity Management (BCM) systems , and it outlines how specific plans for disaster recovery, incident preparedness, and emergency response may be needed rather than just one large plan for business continuity.

How often should business continuity plans be tested?

A business continuity plan should be tested at least every 6 months to verify the BCP’s effectiveness. Frequent testing can also allow the discovery of gaps and potential issues. This will help the organization update protocols and strategies accordingly.

What role does technology play in a BCP?

Technology helps ensure a BCP’s critical data is backed up and can be quickly restored, maintaining reliable communication platforms for ongoing contact during disruptions, and enabling remote work capabilities to keep operations running smoothly. Automated monitoring tools help detect and respond to threats in real-time, enhancing overall resilience. Additionally, cloud services provide accessibility to applications and data from any location, ensuring business continuity.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating a BCP?

Common mistakes to avoid when creating a BCP include neglecting to involve all relevant departments and stakeholders, failing to regularly update and test the plan, and not considering a wide range of potential risks. Additionally, overlooking the importance of clear communication and training for employees can lead to confusion and inefficiency during a disruption. Ensuring comprehensive coverage, regular maintenance, and thorough training can help avoid these pitfalls.

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Experts Discuss the Importance and Advantages of Business Continuity Plans

By Andy Marker | August 25, 2020 (updated October 14, 2021)

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Experts make the case for developing a business continuity plan so that disruptions don’t negatively affect your operations, when they inevitably arise. 

Included on this page, you’ll learn the importance and benefits of business continuity planning (BCP) , and how a strong plan helps staff in a crisis . Plus, find a PowerPoint business continuity argument template to help make the case for embracing business continuity in your company.

What Is a Business Continuity Plan?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is part of a business continuity management system (BCMS), and includes the procedures an organization must follow in an emergency. The document also contains steps for recovery in the days and months after the incident.

One part of a BCP is the disaster recovery plan , which contains plans for IT and technical continuity. An organization can follow specific steps to write its business continuity plan, or hire an outside consultant. For details on writing a BCP, read "How to Write a Business Continuity Plan” ,

Importance of a Business Continuity Plan

A strong business continuity plan can reduce risks during a crisis, and helps ensure that the company can continue to provide goods or services and earn income by detailing how to respond during and after an incident. 

An often-quoted statistic claims that 40 percent of businesses never recover from a disaster . Although some experts question the statistic’s sources, it stands to reason that recovering from a major disruption is tough. After all, staying in business can be difficult, even during the best of times.

As business continuity consultant Alex Fullick, General Manager at Stone Road , explains, "I think the global pandemic has proven that everybody and every organization, no matter what size, needs the ability to respond and recover from any sort of eventuality, whether large or small. If anyone still has the mindset that it's going to happen to someone else, they're probably going to go out of business."

As natural disasters and data breaches become more frequent, the question is not if, but when a disruptive event will take place.

Business continuity plans can help an organization address the following issues before disruption occurs:

• People Don't Know What to Do in a Disaster: Proactively creating plans and training employees ensures a safe and timely recovery. When you've identified sensitive and critical functions ahead of time, you can better plan to execute quickly when a crisis occurs. 
• Insurance Isn't a Solution: An organization may acquire insurance plans for healthcare, vehicles, or fixtures and equipment replacement. However, insurance can't cover the loss of customers who turn to other companies when you can't fulfill orders or reimburse you for a lost reputation.
• Creating a Plan Is an Investment in Your Company: Although a BCP may carry fixed costs in training, wages, or equipment, the plan will get your company up and running ASAP in a disaster. For more about budgeting for a business continuity plan, read “ Business Continuity Planning: How to Do It Well .”

Business continuity can also provide a competitive edge. As the following examples show, companies that pursue business continuity are first to get back to work after a disaster.

• Fire swept through the facilities of Cantey Technology, a consultancy and server host, destroying cables and hardware. However, a business continuity plan gave the company the foresight to implement a redundant offsite data center with regularly scheduled backups, which ensured seamless, continued service for clients. 
• In another instance of a fire, this time at a telecom provider, redundant network infrastructure and solid incident planning enabled the company to restore service within six hours of a fire reaching the switching center. 
• Even though they were located on the second floor, Houston-based Gaille Media’s offices were destroyed during Hurricane Harvey. Since they stored their data and critical documents in the cloud, however, they continued to serve customers throughout the disruption, with staff working remotely. 

"I find myself a little frustrated with some planners who have said, ‘Oh, they're busy updating their pandemic plan now,’" Fullick adds. "What do you mean you're updating your plan on people's availability? Don't you already have plans in place for, let's say, the winter flu season when you're missing 20 percent of your staff because they're all at home with the flu?"

How Business Continuity Helps Different Departments

Importance of Business Continuity for the Supply Chain 

Supply chain disruptions can be crippling, and a BCP can help sustain inventory levels. A business impact analysis (BIA) can reveal risks to key vendors’ ability to make and deliver goods in a crisis, so you can plan ahead. 

Toyota plants in North America demonstrate how a broken supply chain shut down production thousands of miles away. After the 2011 Fukushima earthquake in Japan, Japanese parts manufacturers went offline. When Toyota plants in southern Ontario couldn’t get parts for the assembly line, the company had to lay off many employees. 

"Companies are starting to realize they can be impacted, [and] not just directly by an upstream supplier that sends them something. That supplier can be impacted, too, and the effect trickles down,” Fullick explains. “[As] you see in the news, companies are starting to think more locally, rather than internationally. Companies have more control over a supplier or a vendor who is local, in the same state or province or country, than [they do] over a supplier in another country."

Ask how your suppliers will respond to a disruption to determine if they have a business continuity plan. Then, work that information into your BCP.

Importance of Business Continuity to Small Business

Small business owners often think they are exempt from crises — but when large-scale events occur, they can be among the first casualties. Almost a quarter of companies that do reopen fail within a year; having a BCP is essential to recovery.

"Unfortunately, some people think it won't happen to us ," says Fullick. "That carefree attitude is no longer tenable, especially after a pandemic that affected everyone."

For Tony Bombacino, business continuity is a daily practice. He is the co-founder and President of Real Food Blends , a private company that makes whole foods for people with feeding tubes. “I'm always thinking to myself, 'What am I not thinking about?'” he says. “I spend a lot of time thinking about what might happen, and how to be ready for it.”

Bombacino also believes that business continuity preparedness starts outside of the business continuity plan. "It starts up front with contract negotiation” he says. “Cash is king in a small business.”

Real Food Blends doesn’t produce or pack their products, so it’s important that his manufacturing partners are large, stable, and have their own well-defined business continuity plans. If his partners aren’t prepared for handling disruption, his business might not be able to survive.

Importance of Business Continuity to IT

Most companies rely on IT to maintain services like the internet and Voice over IP (VoIP). The team also stores documents and runs machines. Without IT, a business is unworkable. Therefore, a business continuity plan for IT is crucial.

Importance of Business Continuity Planning in Crisis Management

Crisis management is part of a business continuity plan. Business continuity provides the overall approach for protecting human and other resources, and ensures that vital processes keep running. Crisis management focuses on communications and decision-making.

The Importance of Governance in Business Continuity Management

Effective governance is key to sustaining business continuity efforts. Governance starts with the business continuity policy, and the support of leadership ensures the plan always covers new risks.

However, not everyone thinks that governance always addresses all the correct questions. "Traditionally, governance tends to focus on how many scenarios your plan covers," explains Fullick. "It covers a flood, it covers fire, it covers an earthquake, a tornado, and a hurricane. You need a different plan for each one. Five plans. Each department has five plans, but do they contain the right detail?”

The Importance of Business Continuity to HR and People

Crises do not only impact tools and buildings — they also affect human well-being. If you understand how disasters change lives, you can better help staff manage their emotional and physical tolls. 

"We bring our whole selves to work," says Debbie Rosemont, a productivity consultant and Certified Professional Organizer at Simply Placed , a business consulting firm. "I don't take my emotions, or what happened to me before I came to work, and set that outside. Who I am and how I feel shapes my ability to work and produce. When businesses or companies think about continuity plans, they've got to consider the whole person and how an event or disruption might impact somebody, even if it happens outside of work."

Disruptions can prevent people from coming to work. Illness, like a flu outbreak, may keep them at home. Damaged roads and train systems (that can occur after an earthquake) can hinder their commute. Whether employees commute to the office or work remotely, some of the following concerns may distract them from their duties:

• They fear they will be laid off.
• They've lost loved ones.
• They have a financial burden and are anxious about economic losses.
• They've suffered a disruption to their living arrangements with a loss of personal effects from a natural or human-made disaster.

"When there are job losses, when people don't know when they're going to get their next gig,  when some people have lost numerous family members, this is extreme grief," says Michele Barry , Principal Consultant at Fortis Consulting. "You need your cloud system as your recovery system. You need an evacuation plan. You need to get all your files back after a crisis, which could motivate staff and sustain the business. But understanding people and politics is essential, too."

Rosemont suggests that doing business continuity planning in "normal times" is a chance for employers to source support systems. Employees can use these resources daily and during a crisis. Examples of resources include the following:

• An excellent healthcare benefits program
• An employee assistance program (EAP) that provides discounted legal or other advice
• Mental health and medical resources, such as access to doctors or counselors
• Daycare facilities or resources for both children and adults (such as elderly parents)
• Financial planning tools or advisors
• Sources of financial assistance
• Apps for meditation and calming anxiety

A further consideration, especially in natural disasters, is that it may be easier to restore the business than to gather your workforce. “It's easier to recover technology than it is to have the people there to use it,” explains Mike Semel, President and Chief Compliance Officer at Semel Consulting . “With the cloud and online backups, you can just go to somebody else's computer and log into Microsoft and get to your email. Your bigger problem will be people, and you need to focus on making sure your people don't disappear on you.” 

In disasters, people may leave town. If you can keep people safe, but local, you may be able to recover your business faster. As an example, he shares how his company guided a credit union to contract with a local hotel chain. The executives would move their families to safety and only then return to work. This same consideration applies to small businesses. “If you're a doctor's office, you know that the doctor needs to be there,” says Semel. “The receptionist needs to be there. The nurse needs to be there.”

How Business Continuity Helps

Business Continuity Business Case Template

Top leadership might wonder why they should invest time and money in business continuity planning. Use this free downloadable business case template to build a convincing argument for business continuity. These customizable slides include suggested argument points that you can adapt to fit your company’s needs. 

Download Business Continuity Business Case Template — PowerPoint

For most useful free, downloadable business continuity plan (BCP) templates please read our  "Free Business Continuity Plan Templates"  article.

​​​​​​​Benefits of Having a Business Continuity Plan

The benefit of a business continuity plan is that it prepares a company for a crisis. Trained staff will know what to do and the organization will be able to safely continue delivering key products and services, while meeting its legal and other commitments.

The following are additional advantages of business continuity:

• Review Weaknesses and Risks: Planning for business continuity provides valuable data and insights that have worth beyond emergency preparedness. Business continuity planning means leadership can assess skills, resources, strategies, and personalities, and uncover inefficiencies. Such findings often result from a business impact analysis. To learn more, read “ All about Business Impact Analysis: A Step-by-Step How-To .”  
• Understand Your Business Processes: Business continuity planning demands that you put your entire organization under a microscope. As a result, you can find and remedy inefficiencies in everyday operations, which will make your company more resilient.
• Improve Processes: Ideally, your plan will cover all aspects of the company and can reveal new challenges and opportunities. Improving processes at all levels pays for the investment.
• Help Companies Pivot Quickly: Planning helps you quickly recover critical IT systems and other processes after an incident.
• Build Confidence among Customers: With your BCP, customers know they can rely on continued access to your products or services. For example, when experiencing the aftermath of a natural disaster or a pandemic, B2C customers may find comfort in such things as a favorite food that you may provide. Your parts and services may help B2B customers pursue their livelihoods in the face of uncertainty. 
• Build Confidence among Employees: A plan and adequate training shows staff what to do when a crisis occurs. They also have some reassurance that their jobs will continue during and after a disruption.
• Mitigate Financial Risk: A 2019 ITIC survey indicates that an hour of downtime can cost anywhere between $1 million and $5 million for large enterprises. Smaller businesses (those with 200 to 500 employees) responded that halting processes for one hour can cost at least $100,000. Can your company afford such losses? Plans reduce losses.
• Keep Your Team Members Safe: Creating and training staff on an accident response and evacuation plan can keep your team safe during accidents and disasters.
• Define Responsibility: When management and the chain of command grow ad hoc, they can fail in a crisis. A strong business continuity system names and trains crisis response leaders, and also provides roles for the rest of the team. "People need to be empowered to actually take action, and not sit there and wait for the CEO to make a decision," insists Fullick.
• Streamline Technology: As part of the process, you will review processes and the digital platforms and infrastructure that the company has pieced together over time. You may find that it’s practical to integrate technology, and one platform may effectively complete the tasks of several disparate apps. 
• Allocate Key Financial and Human Resources: Understanding your company’s critical functions means you can focus financial and human resources on those processes, so you can keep the business running during a severe disruption.
• Provide a Way to Continue Working: Planning helps ensure that remote workers have access to the files, applications, and digital resources they need. This step reduces or eliminates downtime, so you can still provide products and services to customers.
• Eliminate Potential Costs: When a business is offline or closed, it inevitably loses revenue. However, slipped supply deadlines can result in additional fees from vendors or, depending on the locale and industry, fines for regulatory non-compliance.
• Make Coping in a Crisis Easier: In an emergency, people are often distracted thinking about their safety, as well as that of their friends and family. Training and a plan to fall back on helps people focus.

What Is Business Continuity Management (BCM)?

Business continuity management is the process a company uses to identify risks and, from there, to avoid or reduce the impact of those risks. Ultimately, this makes a company more resilient in a crisis.  

Disruptive events can impact information systems, business processes, or both. For example, a hurricane or an earthquake can cut electricity. Without power to run data centers or laptops, business processes such as supply replenishment and payroll are impossible. 

As StoneRoad’s Fullick explains, "Business continuity management is a set of plans and procedures to help you prepare for, respond to, and recover from business interruptions. Beyond that, it empowers people to make decisions when things occur. It's about knowing what resources and skills are available when something happens, whether it’s a small incident or a global pandemic." 

With BCM, companies review their needs and capabilities to create contingency plans. From there, they can deliver at least some of their regular output, or the minimum acceptable service, in the event of a crisis. Continuity of service preserves a corporation’s reputation and revenue.

Benefits of Business Continuity Management System (BCMS)

A BCMS keeps staff safe and protects assets from risk. With human, IT, and other resources, a company can continue to provide goods and services. As a result, the company will continue to create revenue and retain a solid reputation.

You can learn about the types of risks and threats to organizations, as well as regulatory requirements for business continuity planning in our article, “ Business Continuity Planning: How to Do It Well .”

"I don't think as many business people consider business continuity like they should,” says Bombacino. “I feel more prepared here, at my company, than I did when I worked at big companies. I think that’s because when big companies get really big or successful, or have lots of money, they think nothing bad can happen to them. One boss used to say there's a difference between being successful because of something and being successful in spite of something. Many companies are successful and don't have a business continuity plan. But what one thing could happen and wipe them out because they're not ready?”

Fullick adds that the value of business continuity will become increasingly clear to companies in the near future. “I think business continuity will grow as a key component for a lot of organizations, and [that] leadership on all levels is going to focus on BCP now.”

Disadvantages of Business Continuity Plans

Business continuity plans are costly and time-consuming to execute. Plans often require outside advice, and poorly written plans (or those that leadership doesn’t support) can be unsafe and cause financial losses. 

A plan also risks becoming a ticked box on a requirements list, rather than an actionable, practical document. Management can forget to share the plan with the teams who could benefit from it. "Often when people aren't a part of discussions, the crisis management team is activated, but everyone else, including leadership, is sitting around and thinking, ‘What's going on?’” explains Fullick. “Management and employees are each waiting for the other to act. But people should know what to do and just start doing it."

 Plan writers also often worry too much about specific disaster scenarios. "You need to focus on people, places, and things, and not so much on the trigger," Fullick urges. "You could lose your building because of a pandemic, or a flood, a fire, or an earthquake. Those are all different triggers for the same problem: What do we do now that our building is gone? Continuity planning should be about building a skillset, so your employees and leadership — beyond the disaster recovery team — know exactly what to do, and what the resources are, no matter what is happening." 

In essence, business continuity planning empowers people and adds value to the company. Real Food Blends’ Bombacino says, “Some entrepreneurs hate meetings and process and structure. They don't want to talk about business continuity planning. But for us, this is our life's work. Other families, our customers, depend on us. So we view business continuity planning not as just a smart thing to do, but as our responsibility to make sure that we avoid the continuity pitfalls out there."

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Business Continuity Planning: Ensuring the Resilience of Your Organization

Let’s explore the intricacies of business continuity planning, from understanding its importance to implementing a robust strategy that safeguards your enterprise.

Published by Orgvue   November 20, 2023

Home > Resources > article > Business Continuity Planning: Ensuring the Resilience of Your Organization

In an unpredictable world, the ability to sustain your business’s essential functions and operations, even in the face of disruptions, is paramount.

Business continuity planning is the framework that ensures your organization can weather storms, both literal and metaphorical.

What is Business Continuity Planning?

At its core, business continuity planning is the process of developing a proactive strategy to ensure an organization’s critical functions and operations can continue in the face of unforeseen disruptions.

It encompasses a range of activities, from risk assessment to the creation of detailed recovery plans, with the ultimate goal of minimizing downtime and ensuring the organization’s resilience.

The Importance of Business Continuity Planning

The importance of being prepared for various external and internal factors cannot be overstated. While many businesses have a standard business plan, not all of them consider the potential disruptions caused by natural calamities, economic downturns, or other unexpected events. Business continuity planning is the key to ensuring a company’s sustained operation, regardless of the challenges it may face.

Business continuity planning goes beyond the traditional business plan. While a business plan outlines goals and strategies for growth, a continuity plan focuses on how the organization will continue to function in the face of adversity. It involves identifying potential risks and developing strategies to mitigate and recover from them. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a cyberattack or an economic recession, having a well-thought-out strategic plan is essential for business survival.

One of the most significant threats to businesses is an economic downturn, such as a recession. During these challenging times, consumer spending often decreases, and businesses may face financial instability. A recession can have a ripple effect on companies of all sizes, causing decreased revenue, layoffs, and even closures.

For a detailed look at the impact of recessions on businesses, read how to prepare for a recession , which delves into strategies for navigating these challenging economic conditions.

Business strategy planning is not just about surviving during tough times; it’s also crucial for capitalizing on periods of growth. When businesses experience an upturn, they often need to scale rapidly to meet increased demand. Having a continuity plan in place allows for a smoother transition during periods of growth, ensuring that the infrastructure, resources and workforce can adapt effectively.

The financial consequences of not having a business continuity plan can be devastating. Without a plan in place, businesses are more vulnerable to unexpected disruptions, which can result in significant financial losses. These losses may come from increased downtime, lost revenue, legal liabilities, reputational damage and the costs associated with recovery efforts.

Considerations for Business Continuity Planning

Creating a robust business continuity plan is a complex task that involves a multitude of factors. Among these considerations, three key aspects stand out: cultural differences, limited resources and alignment with business objectives. A successful business strategy plan takes these factors into account to ensure that an organization can effectively respond to disruptions while maintaining its core values and strategic direction.

1. Cultural Differences

Cultural diversity is a significant consideration in business strategy planning, especially for multinational companies or organizations with a diverse workforce. Cultural differences can influence how employees perceive and respond to crises. When developing a business continuity plan, it is important to consider the following aspects:

• Communication Styles : Different cultures have varying communication norms and hierarchies. Understanding how employees from various cultural backgrounds communicate during a crisis can help in crafting effective crisis communication strategies.
• Decision-Making Processes : Some cultures prioritize consensus-driven decision-making, while others lean towards hierarchical authority. A business continuity plan should acknowledge these differences and provide flexibility in decision-making approaches during disruptions.
• Crisis Response Expectations : Cultural expectations can shape how employees expect the organization to respond to a crisis. Your business strategy plan should be sensitive to these expectations and ensure that response strategies align with cultural norms.

2. Limited Resources

For many businesses, resource constraints are a reality. When developing a business continuity plan, it’s crucial to consider the organization’s resource limitations, such as budget, personnel and technology. Here are some key considerations:

• Resource Allocation : Prioritize critical functions and allocate resources accordingly. Not all business processes are equally important, and a business continuity plan should identify and protect the most essential ones first.
• Efficiency and Scalability : Develop strategies that focus on efficiency and scalability. Efficient resource use is critical, and a business strategy plan should outline how to adapt to changing resource constraints during a crisis.
• Collaboration : Collaboration with external partners, such as suppliers, can be a resource-saving strategy. Establishing relationships with partners who can provide support during disruptions is a valuable aspect.

3. Business Objectives

A business continuity plan should align with the broader business objectives to ensure that it doesn’t hinder growth or innovation. Consider the following aspects:

• Market Expansion:  If the organization’s objective is to expand into new markets, the business strategy plan should accommodate this goal. It should address the challenges and opportunities that come with market expansion, including regulatory compliance and logistical considerations.
• Relocation or Migration : If there are plans to relocate or migrate operations, the business continuity plan should include strategies for a seamless transition. This may involve considerations such as data migration, employee relocation and continuity of customer service.
• Competitive Landscape : Changes in the competitive landscape, such as the emergence of new competitors, can impact the organization’s continuity. The business strategy plan should be flexible enough to adapt to shifts in the competitive environment.
• The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to adapt rapidly, with remote work becoming the norm for many, reshaping entire industries like healthcare and e-commerce.
• The global recession of 2008 had long-lasting effects on financial institutions and prompted regulatory changes that influenced business operations.
• The rise of the internet transformed countless businesses, from retail to media, and required adaptation to online platforms.
• Looking ahead, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence have the potential to disrupt industries in unprecedented ways, with automation and data-driven decision-making reshaping the future of work. These events emphasize the critical importance of adaptable and comprehensive business continuity planning to navigate the unpredictable landscape of our ever-evolving world.

Developing a Strategic Business Plan

A well structured business plan serves as a roadmap for your organization, guiding actions and decisions while enabling effective response to a dynamic business environment.

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the business.
• Review financial statements, market positioning and operational performance.
• Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Evaluate the company’s internal resources and capabilities.
• Analyze micro-environment factors such as competitors, customers, suppliers and regulatory changes.
• Examine macro-environment factors like economic trends, technological advancements and political factors.
• Use tools like PESTEL analysis and Porter’s Five Forces to assess the external business environment.
• Clearly define short-term and long-term business objectives.
• Make objectives specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART).
• Align objectives with the company’s mission and vision.
• Identify key operational processes that drive business success.
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes.
• Prioritize improvements in critical areas to align with strategic objectives.
• Plan for potential risks and uncertainties that could impact the business.
• Create contingency and crisis management strategies.
• Establish a risk management framework to mitigate and respond to unforeseen events.
• Implement key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress.
• Regularly review and revise the business plan based on changing market conditions.
• Adapt to emerging opportunities and challenges.
• Ensure that the strategic plan is communicated effectively throughout the organization.
• Secure buy-in and commitment from employees at all levels.
• Ensure that all team members understand their roles in achieving the plan’s objectives.
• Allocate resources, including finances and manpower, in alignment with the strategic priorities.
• Develop a budget that reflects the financial requirements of the plan.
• Monitor spending and adjust budgets as needed.
• Develop a timeline and action plan for the execution of the strategic initiatives.
• Assign responsibilities to specific teams or individuals.
• Regularly review progress and make adjustments to stay on track.
• Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic plan.
• Solicit feedback from employees, customers and stakeholders.
• Use feedback to make continuous improvements and refine the plan.
• Establish a system for measuring and reporting progress.
• Create dashboards or reports to communicate key metrics to stakeholders.
• Ensure that performance data aligns with the defined objectives.
• Incorporate sustainability and responsible growth practices into the plan.
• Address social and environmental impacts as part of corporate responsibility.
• Seek opportunities for sustainable growth and innovation.
• Develop scenarios that explore alternative future situations.
• Consider various outcomes and their implications on the business.
• Prepare for different scenarios to enhance adaptability.
• Leverage technology for data analytics, automation, and efficiency.
• Stay updated on emerging technologies that can support the strategic plan.
• Integrate technology solutions to enhance business processes.

Implementing a Business Continuity Plan

 Importance of Training and Awareness:

• Awareness:  Create awareness about the business continuity plan across the organization to foster a culture of preparedness. This includes educating employees on the potential risks and the importance of the plan.

 Consistent Review of the Plan:

• Conduct post-incident reviews to assess the BCP’s performance after a real event and make necessary adjustments.

 Address Cultural and Technological Issues:

• Technological Challenges: Recognize and mitigate technological hurdles that can hinder the plan’s execution, such as infrastructure limitations or cybersecurity threats. Ensure that IT systems are resilient and can support the plan.

 Software Integration:

• Organizational design software like Orgvue can assist in visualizing and optimizing the organizational structure, enabling efficient allocation of resources and responsibilities during a disruption.

Business continuity planning is not merely a precaution but a strategic imperative for any organization. It provides a structured approach to safeguarding business operations in the face of unforeseen disruptions, thereby minimizing downtime and potential financial losses.

By fostering a culture of preparedness, training employees, regularly reviewing and adapting the plan, addressing cultural and technological issues, and leveraging software solutions like Orgvue for organizational design, businesses can ensure their resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing landscape.

For businesses with specific 1-5 year plans, the integration of business strategy planning is paramount. It aligns seamlessly with forward-looking strategies by fortifying the organization’s ability to execute those plans in the face of unexpected events.

By weaving business continuity considerations into your strategic framework, you not only protect your investments but also demonstrate your commitment to long-term success, customer trust and stakeholder confidence. The benefits of such foresight extend far beyond mitigating risk; they empower your business to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable world. Therefore, it is recommended that businesses of all sizes prioritize and integrate business continuity planning as an integral part of their strategic vision and ongoing operations.

Business Continuity Plan FAQs

● where does business continuity planning belong in an organization.

Depending on the organization’s culture, the department your business continuity plan falls under varies. IT is usually one of the most vital components of any business strategy plan, in which case it could belong under the IT department. Or, if financial impacts are your organization’s main concern, the finance department may need to run the plan.

● Who Is Responsible For the Business Continuity Plan?

The business continuity plan usually falls under the responsibility of a dedicated role or department, often led by a Business Continuity Manager, who reports to senior leadership. This individual or team is responsible for creating, implementing, and regularly updating the plan to ensure the organization’s resilience in the face of disruptions.

● Is Business Continuity Planning a Legal Requirement?

It is not always a legal requirement, but certain industries and jurisdictions may have regulations or standards that mandate organizations to have such plans in place to ensure operational resilience and preparedness for emergencies.

● What Role Can Business Continuity Planning Play In Recovering From an Incident?

It plays a crucial role in helping organizations recover from incidents by providing a structured framework to assess, respond to and mitigate the impact of disruptions, minimizing downtime and financial losses. It outlines clear procedures and responsibilities, ensuring that essential operations can resume swiftly and efficiently, thus safeguarding the organization’s reputation and maintaining stakeholder trust.

● When Should a Business Continuity Plan Be Activated?

A business continuity plan should be activated as a preventative measure in the event a disruptive incident occurs. Triggers may include natural disasters, cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions or any event that threatens the continuity of critical business functions.

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Business continuity and disaster recovery planning: The basics

Good business continuity plans will keep your company up and running through interruptions of any kind: power failures, it system crashes, natural disasters, pandemics and more..

Editor’s note: This article, originally published on March 27, 2014, has been updated to more accurately reflect recent trends.

Wildfires in California. A snowstorm in Texas.  Windstorms across the Midwest. Floods in Hawaii. Hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana. Russian hackers and ransomware attacks. And let’s not forget the global pandemic.

If anyone still thinks that having a disaster recovery and business continuity plan isn’t a high priority, you haven’t been paying attention to recent events. As we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are shifting to a new normal that will certainly be more remote, more digital and more cloud-based. Disaster recovery plans will have to evolve to keep up with these changing business conditions.

On top of that, business requirements for disaster recovery have changed dramatically. There was a time when it was acceptable for recovery time to be measured in days or hours. Now it’s minutes. In some cases, business units are demanding zero down time in the event of an unplanned outage.

Here are the basics of a state-of-the-art disaster recovery/business continuity (DR/BC) plan for 2021 and beyond. (Without getting too hung up on definitions, let’s say that disaster recovery is getting the IT infrastructure back up and running, while business continuity is a broader discipline that gets the business back up and functioning once the lights are back on.) 

Integrate cybersecurity, intrusion detection/response, disaster recovery into a comprehensive data protection plan

For CISOs, the first goal of a disaster recovery plan is to avoid the disaster in the first place, which is becoming increasingly challenging. First, data is no longer safely tucked away in an on-premises data center. It’s distributed across on-premises environments, hyperscale clouds, the edge and SaaS applications. ESG Research Senior Analyst Christophe Bertrand points out that SaaS presents a serious data protection and recovery challenge because “now you have mission critical applications running as a service that you have no control over.”

Second, the pandemic drove millions of employees out of the secure confines of the corporate office to their home offices, where the Wi-Fi is less secure and where employees might be sharing sensitive data on collaboration applications.

Third, hackers took notice of these expanding attack vectors and launched a barrage of new and more targeted ransomware attacks. According to the Sophos State of Ransomware 2020 Report, hackers have moved from spray-and-pray desktop attacks to server-based attacks. “These are highly targeted, sophisticated attacks that take more effort to deploy. However, they are typically far more deadly due to the higher value of assets encrypted and can cripple organizations with multi-million dollar ransom requests,” according to the report .

In response to these changing conditions, CISOs should focus on beefing up endpoint security for remote workers, deploying VPNs and encryption, protecting data at rest no matter where it lives, and also making sure that collaboration tools don’t become a source of security vulnerabilities.

Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA)

Organizations need to conduct a thorough business impact analysis to identify and evaluate potential effects of disasters through the lenses of financial fallout, regulatory compliance, legal liability, and employee safety. Gartner estimates that 70% of organizations are making disaster recovery decisions without any business-aligned data points or based on an outdated BIA. “Without the fact base the BIA provides, teams can only guess at the appropriate level of DR and what risks are tolerable. This results in overspend or unmet expectations,” according to Gartner.

Remember, you don’t need to protect everything. Organizations that conduct these exercises are often surprised to discover servers that do nothing but run a routine back-end business process once a month, or even once a year.

Organizations need to prioritize applications by their criticality to the business, and to identify all the dependencies associated with a business process, particularly applications that may have been virtualized across multiple physical servers, might be running in containers in the cloud, or in serverless cloud environments.

Classify data

Along the same lines, you don’t need to protect all data, just the data that you need to keep the business running. You do need to go through the process of locating, identifying, and classifying data. Be sure to protect data that falls under regulatory requirements, customer data, patient data, credit card data, intellectual property, private communications, etc. The good news is that tools can automate data identification and classification.

Consider disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS)

DRaaS is an increasingly popular option for CISOs at small- to mid-sized organizations who want to cost-effectively improve IT resilience, meet compliance or regulatory requirements, and address resource deficiencies. The DRaaS market is expected to grow at a rate of 12% a year over the next five years, according to Mordor Intelligence . DRaaS services cover the full gamut of disaster recovery and business continuity, providing flexibility and agility to enterprises, according to the Mordor report.

Gartner adds that as the DRaaS market has matured and vendor offerings have become more industrialized, the size and scope of DRaaS implementations have increased significantly, compared with a few years ago.

Develop a solid communication plan

Simply getting servers back up and running is essentially meaningless unless everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. Do people have the appropriate cell phone numbers and email addresses to share information? Do the relevant stakeholders have a playbook that spells out how to respond to a crisis in terms of contacting law enforcement, outside legal teams, utility companies, key technology and supply chain partners, senior leadership, the broader employee base, external PR teams, etc.?

Depending on the nature of the disaster, networking groups might need to establish new lines of connectivity for remote workers and reconfigure traffic flows; maintenance teams might need to perform remote troubleshooting, security teams might need to re-set firewalls, change access policies, extend security protection to new devices or to cloud-based resources. The biggest problem in a disaster isn’t related to data backups, it’s not having the right people in place and understanding all the steps required for the business to recover, says Bertrand.

Automate testing

To test disaster preparedness, companies traditionally conduct tabletop exercises in which key players physically come together to play out DR scenarios. However, only one-third of organizations perceive the exercises as “highly effective,”  according to a July study  by Osterman Research in association with Immersive Labs, a company that develops human-readiness skills in cybersecurity. The research also found that organizations don’t perform tabletop exercises often enough to keep up with evolving threats and that these exercises cost an average of $30,000. During the pandemic, it’s fair to assume that tabletop exercises fell by the wayside.

Doug Matthews, vice-president of enterprise data protection at Veritas, says there’s a better way. New tools can automatically test backup and recovery procedures on an ongoing basis and identify potential issues that need to be addressed. Modern testing solutions are also able to use sandboxing technology to create safe environments in which companies can test the recoverability of applications without impacting production networks.

Create immutable data backups

Ransomware attackers are targeting backup repositories, particularly in the cloud. They are also targeting SaaS applications. In response, organizations should keep one copy of data that can’t be altered. “Be sure that you have an immutable copy of backup data that nobody can touch,” advises Matthews, who says companies should have three copies of data at all times, not just two.

Companies should also investigate isolated recovery environments, such as air gapping, in which one copy of the data lives in an environment not connected to the production environment.

Consider data re-use

“Business is the data and data is the business,” says Bertrand. Once organizations have a copy of their important data sitting in a safe backup environment, why not think about ways to reuse it to advance the company’s digital transformation efforts.

The idea is for organizations to “understand what you have, where it is, how to protect it, store it and optimize it.”  Ultimately, Bertrand predicts that organizations will evolve an intelligent data strategy that encompasses regulatory compliance, disaster recovery/business continuity and data analytics.

Perform continuous updates

CISOs updating their DR/BC plans should take their cue from DevOps. It’s not about one-and-done, it’s about continuous improvement. DR planners need to be plugged into any changes at the company that might affect recoverability, including employees working from home permanently, stores or remote offices opening or closing, applications being replaced by SaaS, data moving to the edge, or DevOps moving to the cloud. Also, the technology is constantly improving, so be on the lookout for new tools that can help automate DR/BC processes. The plan should not be sitting on the shelf collecting dust. It should be updated on a regular basis.

Do long-term planning

In light of everything that has happened over the past 12 months, it’s a good time to shift thinking about DR/BC from reactive to proactive. Unfortunately, between public health emergencies, climate change and the increase in cyberattacks, disasters seem to be occurring more often and are certainly more devastating. DR/BC plans need to get ahead of the threats, not simply respond to them.

For example, if your company is in California, your DR/BC plan has to assume that there will be power outages from next season’s wildfires. Companies concerned about losing power when the next natural disaster hits might want to think about generating their own power from alternative sources.

A successful DR/BC plan requires that companies perform the basics, but it is also an opportunity for companies to find creative and innovative ways to keep the business running when disaster hits.

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Neal Weinberg is a freelance technology writer and editor. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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How to write a business continuity plan template

To avoid the common pitfalls associated with growing a successful business, you’ll need to come up with a long-term plan. A business continuity plan template can help you anticipate and avoid disruptions to your company.

Unanticipated threats can wipe out your assets, while risky courses of action can lead to disastrous results. Take the pandemic as an example, which wrought havoc on companies’ plans for growth. In the first year, 43% of businesses temporarily closed , something few could have anticipated.

In this article, we’ll explore why you need a business continuity plan template to help you stay on steady footing, even if the ground beneath you shakes.

Get the template

What is a business continuity plan template?

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a roadmap for long-term success that factors in common pitfalls and risks. A business continuity plan template ensures that you dot your Is and cross your Ts, and craft a reliable plan to handle unexpected events or disasters.

The template will include fields for filling in information on your current resources, recovery procedures when you face critical setbacks, and a list of personnel responsible for addressing such issues.

The primary purpose of business continuity management is to analyze the current status of your company and its state of preparedness for unexpected threats. With it, senior management can find any weak spots in the business and proactively identify solutions to problems that could hinder progress toward your goals. Of course, there are other reasons you’d benefit from this template.

Why use a business continuity plan template?

Reiterating on the above, the main function of the business continuity plans template is to provide a framework for addressing any problems that may arise in various departments and areas of the business.

Without a plan for dealing with roadblocks, your business’s growth can be stunted, or worse, screech to a halt. All it takes is a few missteps or misguided risks to steer your company off course. 90% of small businesses fail within a single year if they can’t resume full operations following an unexpected disaster.

Don’t confuse a BCP with a disaster recovery plan. A BCP doesn’t just outline what to do in case of emergencies, but it presents ideas for recovering full functionality within the business to minimize the impact on growth.

Take your company’s sensitive data as an example. Relying solely on backups to external servers or hard drives could be risky. In your BCP template, you’ll want to detail how you can protect and manage your data in the event of a breach or severe weather conditions. For instance, a hybrid approach, using both a cloud-based solution and a private server, could afford you extra data security and safety.

There were 3,950 confirmed data breaches in 2020 alone, which highlights the dangers of ignoring your data security. The faster you can get back on your feet and recover from cyberthreats or unforeseen events, the easier it’ll be to hold onto your cutting edge and stay a step ahead of the competition.

Those are the benefits in theory, but let’s take a look at specific cases where BCP templates can help.

What are examples of business continuity plan templates?

Depending on your needs, these business continuity templates can provide a little extra inspiration to get started.

Risk assessment template for business continuity

Use a risk assessment table to calculate whether various weather conditions or other events could impact your day-to-day operations. Your business continuity management team could use resources such as this to identify potential threats—however unlikely —to make sure that the company isn’t caught off guard.

( Image Source )

While nobody could have predicted the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, a rigorous risk assessment system ensures that you have most bases covered, including natural disasters.

Even if your headquarters is sheltered from severe weather conditions, there may be secondary offices or physical data servers in high-risk areas. As such, it’s important to factor in all of your infrastructure to avoid getting blindsided.

Alternate site evaluation template

If you have employees working from home or away from your primary place of work, you can use an alternate site evaluation table to evaluate the possible risks. Have your employees fill out a table like this one so that you have all the relevant contact information on your books in case of an emergency.

This information can help you better understand your employees’ work arrangements and troubleshoot any issues should they come up.

BCP committee table template

Use a simple BCP committee table to determine member’s roles and responsibilities. For each member, you can fill out contact information, along with a list of the main duties they are required to carry out.

This will make it easy for the committee members to coordinate for meetings and have a clear action plan for what to do next.

Want a template that lets you do all of this in one document? monday.com has just what the doctor ordered.

monday.com’s business continuity plan template

On the monday.com business continuity plan template, you’ll be able to enter data such as committee member contact details, disaster recovery action plans, and evacuation information.

The template covers all bases regarding potential threats you could encounter as you grow your business. With it, you’ll be able to keep all the information in a single place and enter it in an easy-to-digest way to share with your employees.

And that’s not all. With monday.com Work OS, your employees can easily share and collaborate on tables and forms, so you can ask for input regarding secondary places of work and contact information. Plus, managers can access this information from anywhere, allowing them to see crucial details at a glance for better preparation.

Part of business continuity planning is ensuring your sensitive data is secure, so you’ll appreciate that monday.com protects your information with permission-based access. Only those in the BCP committee will be privy to the plans unless you wish to grant access to other employees.

If you want to expand beyond the BCP and really detail how you’ll deal with potential disasters and risks, we’ve got a few templates for you.

Related templates from monday.com

Let’s take a look at a few templates that are related to a business continuity plan template.

Disaster recovery template

A Disaster Recovery Template falls under the scope of the business continuity plan committee. It’s just what it sounds like: a comprehensive plan for necessary actions if disaster strikes. More specifically, the plan should inform your approach for getting systems back online when they go down.

In this disaster recovery template, you can include everything from cyber-attacks and data breaches to worldwide pandemics or natural disasters. You can integrate these reports into your overall BCP to get a comprehensive overview of your recovery plans.

Operating functions template

An operating functions template gives you an idea of how you can cut costs in various processes and workflows. It can also inform how you can implement more sustainable business practices and initiatives.

Check out these different operations templates from monday.com that can be used with the BCP template to outline potential risks associated with new initiatives and suggested changes to work processes.

Program risk register

The Program Risk Register Template is for the early-stage process of identifying and evaluating potential risks to your business. It complements the business continuity plan template well — you can focus on valid, severe, likely risks in your BCP, and have a separate table for risks of all likelihoods and potential levels of impact.

FAQs about business continuity plan templates

How do you write a business continuity plan.

You can write a business continuity plan by first listing the various departments of your company and what risks or threats they might face. From there, you can assess the likelihood of these threats coming to fruition. Once you have an idea of the probability of the various threats to your company, you can prioritize them.

With a prioritized list, you can start with the most pressing threat and proactively brainstorm what actions you could take if it were to arise. The purpose of the BCP is to shield your company against anything that could hinder your progress. Coming up with potential solutions for addressing hypothetical problems can prepare you for real ones in the future.

What is a small business continuity plan?

A small business continuity plan is a document that details potential risks and threats to a small business. It’s well worth creating such a document as a small business owner, as it can save you from disaster as you strive to scale the company.

For small businesses, any hitch can prove disastrous. 38.8% of US-based small businesses were affected by supply chain issues in 2021, which, for some, would have impeded growth significantly. Over-reliance on foreign suppliers could be an example of an unnecessary risk that, without being addressed, could spell disaster for a small business.

With the business continuity plan in place, you can protect your business in its most vulnerable state of growth. The plan forces you to think laterally about the threats that could sink your business. That way, you can make necessary course corrections and increase your chances of long-term survival.

What is an example of a business continuity plan?

An example of a business continuity plan is to plan out how you’ll protect your app’s uptime in the event something happens to one data center: for example, running a clone in AWS you can always fall back on.

What are the 3 elements of business continuity?

The three most vital elements within business continuity are resilience, recovery, and contingency.

• Resilience: how you’ll make it as hard as possible for critical functions to fail.
• Recovery: how you’ll get back to normal operations if disaster strikes.
• Contingency: what you’ll do if plan A for recovery fails.
• Project risk management

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Business Continuity Planning

Organize a business continuity team and compile a  business continuity plan  to manage a business disruption. Learn more about how to put together and test a business continuity plan with the videos below.

Business Continuity Plan Supporting Resources

• Business Continuity Plan Situation Manual
• Business Continuity Plan Test Exercise Planner Instructions
• Business Continuity Plan Test Facilitator and Evaluator Handbook

Business Continuity Training Videos

The Business Continuity Planning Suite is no longer supported or available for download.

Business Continuity Training Introduction

An overview of the concepts detailed within this training. Also, included is a humorous, short video that introduces viewers to the concept of business continuity planning and highlights the benefits of having a plan. Two men in an elevator experience a spectrum of disasters from a loss of power, to rain, fire, and a human threat. One man is prepared for each disaster and the other is not.

View on YouTube

Business Continuity Training Part 1: What is Business Continuity Planning?

An explanation of what business continuity planning means and what it entails to create a business continuity plan. This segment also incorporates an interview with a company that has successfully implemented a business continuity plan and includes a discussion about what business continuity planning means to them.

Business Continuity Training Part 2: Why is Business Continuity Planning Important?

An examination of the value a business continuity plan can bring to an organization. This segment also incorporates an interview with a company that has successfully implemented a business continuity plan and includes a discussion about how business continuity planning has been valuable to them.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: What's the Business Continuity Planning Process?

An overview of the business continuity planning process. This segment also incorporates an interview with a company about its process of successfully implementing a business continuity plan.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 1

The first of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should “prepare” to create a business continuity plan.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 2

The second of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should “define” their business continuity plan objectives.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 3

The third of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should “identify” and prioritize potential risks and impacts.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 4

The fourth of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should “develop” business continuity strategies.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 5

The fifth of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should define their “teams” and tasks.

Business Continuity Training Part 3: Planning Process Step 6

The sixth of six steps addressed in this Business Continuity Training, which detail the process of building a business continuity plan. This step addresses how organizations should “test” their business continuity plans. View on YouTube

Last Updated: 12/21/2023

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How To Write & Implement a Business Continuity Plan

March 5, 2020 11 min read

Gaetano DiNardi

If a disaster such as a fire, flood or communication breakdown were to occur, many businesses would lose profits, damage their reputation or even be forced to close. A well-thought-out business continuity plan is what you need to prevent interruptions. Having a company-wide plan in case of an emergency is essential. If you rely on cloud-based communications , you might still have vulnerabilities. If you centralize your operations in one location, that can also become a risk. Luckily, there are ample resources available to develop a business continuity plan. Here, we’ll cover key aspects of a business continuity plan including:

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

• Top Threats to Business Continuity

The Anatomy of a Business Continuity Plan

• Helpful Tools and Strategies
• Business Continuity Infographic

A business continuity plan is the outline of procedures to prevent damage, maintain productivity and recover in the event of a national emergency or disaster. When you create such a plan, identify possible threats like fires, utility disruptions or social engineering attacks. Then proactively determine what employees can do to get the business back on track. A business continuity plan is sometimes abbreviated “BCP,” but essentially it details the emergency management procedures and strategies to enact. Writing out your business continuity plan minimizes panic and uncertainty when a crisis happens and how to respond effectively. Every business needs a plan to maintain business stability. Even if it’s a small business, you need to effectively have a plan when disaster strikes to avoid business disruption.

Top 6 Threats to Business Continuity

1) Global pandemics :

Global pandemics can cause massive issues for companies, namely by forcing employees to work from home and creating a scenario where a company workforce must go remote swiftly and for an indefinite period of time. In these scenarios, companies must equip their company to communicate with customers and each other remotely in the event of a need for quarantine.

2) Natural disasters :

This includes any force of nature that poses a significant threat to human health and safety, property or critical infrastructure. Natural disasters include all natural phenomena like wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, floods, or earthquakes.

3) Man-made disasters

Any catastrophe that is the result of human negligence, mistake or accident. Man-made disasters include chemical explosions, gas leaks, oil spills, factory fires, hazardous material spills or improper disposal of waste.

4) Utility failures

This occurs when any utility provider fails to provide service for any reason. Utility failures include electricity or power failure, loss of communication lines, or disruption of water service.

5) Intentional sabotage

These are acts you commit with the intent of putting a business at risk. Sabotage can take many forms. For example, a bomb threat, a financial information leak, or arson. It’s prudent to involve human resources to minimize risks internally and externally in the event of a disgruntled

6) Cybersecurity attacks

In order to protect itself from profit losses, reputation damage and customer loss, a company must create a business continuity plan. The plan should be thorough and include possible threats, readiness procedures to protect against these threats and information on who should be leading each process. While you create this emergency response plan, be sure to thoroughly document every section so you can share it across the company later. Keep it well-organized so readers can identify risk assessments, planning processes, and recovery steps.

#1 Identify the objectives of the plan and set goals

• How detailed and practiced should the plan be?
• What departments will the plan cover?
• What are the outcomes of a successful plan?
• Which milestones should we track?

One important factor is the budget for the continuity plan. Include any preparation or research hours, training time and materials, etc as you create this plan. Business continuity management extends beyond IT and applies to the entire organization.

#2 Choose the business continuity team

Command and control teams

The command and control sub-teams include a crisis and recovery management team. They make sure there is near-perfect execution and that all resources are ready to go.

Task-oriented teams

This sub-team includes specialized teams such as a:

• Internal communication
• External business communication
• Disaster recovery
• Legal Customer operations
• Information Technology ( IT )
• Supply chain management
• Finance and Human Resources

#3 Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA)

#4 Identify key business areas and critical functions

• What business objectives does this aspect support?
• How many departments will this function affect?
• How often does this function occur?
• What other aspects of the business are dependent on this function for success?
• What would be the revenue loss if this function was not completed?
• Are there potential fines or legal issues tied in with this function?
• Does this function impact the business’s public image or market share?

Additionally, it’s wise for a business to carefully evaluate how they can move operations offsite. One example might be clear plans to move sales and support staff to work from home proactively.

#5 Identify any pain points or dependencies

#6 Make a plan to maintain operations

Related: What Is VoIP? The Newbie’s Guide to Voice over IP

Readiness procedures could include:

Prevention strategies.

Detail any actions your business needs to take as preventative measures before the disaster occurs. While conducting the BIA, it’s likely you’ll find places that need mitigation. This could include having backup providers for utilities or generators available nearby. It could also include setting up alternative communication networks. Remote work solutions for employees in emergencies is another example.

Response strategies

Each department ought to have a detailed emergency response plan. Include exactly what each member of the business continuity team should do in case of an emergency. For example, if there is an evacuation, proper technology , procedures and safety protocols are essential to recovery. When and how the company will contact the media, the public or customers should also be specified as a part of the business communications plan. It’s critical to maintain reliable communication, including your organization’s business phone service  for announcements and managing reliable call routing.

Recovery strategies

After the event has been contained, your focus should be recovery. This step of a continuity plan outlines exactly what they are and who is responsible for implementing them. One example is a manual workaround to get the company running again. Operationalizing an alternative facility that the company could use in the interim is another example. The first question people will always ask is about the timeline to recovery. Some resolutions are instant. Others may take days or weeks to implement. For all your recovery plans, scope out the Recovery Time Objective (RTO). This gives stakeholders clear-cut estimates on activating a recovery plan. For companies with data centers where data powers their central operations, it’s important to understand the intervals of recovery available. A Recovery Point Objective (RPO) defines the timelines of data recovery available in the event of a loss or corruption.

#7 Develop a testing and training curriculum

Exercises should have:

• Clear objectives and goals
• Easily understood assumptions of the scenario
• Instructions for all participants
• A clear narrative
• A post-exercise evaluation

Leaders should identify if you need further training or improvements to the overall business continuity plan.

#8 Determine ongoing program maintenance and quality assurance

Internal reviews

Businesses should conduct a review of the plan annually. This section should address exactly when updates are required due to:

• Threats to the environment
• Exercises that indicate the need for change
• Changes to company structure or personnel
• Geographic distribution of employees

External reviews

It can be helpful to have an external consultant come in and evaluate the plan or suggest improvements. This section should document when this should happen and who should conduct the audit. An objective analysis of the disaster recovery plan and its execution is critical for continual improvement.

Additional drills and tests

Business Continuity Software and Tools

There are many tools and apps you can use to craft a business continuity plan. Tools range from consultants to micro tools to full software platforms. Determine which tools are right for your company by assessing your business processes, plan complexity, timelines, and budget.

Communication tools

Your business is helpless if it cannot communicate with each other before and during a disruptive episode. This includes internal and external communication and notification tools. Communication tools can be used to send direct messages to recovery teams, vendors, shareholders or staff.

• Everbridge is a popular mass notification tool
• Intrado offers enterprise notification services, which is popular with school districts
• A cloud phone system can be helpful in emergency situations as well.
• Slack is one quick way to organize team chats and

Preparatory tools

These include tools to help you build your BCP. For example, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security offers a Business Continuity Planning Suite . Other business continuity planning software providers include:

• Continuity Logic
• Strategic BCP

Internal auditing tools

These tools can help a business assess their strengths, weaknesses, pain points and areas of concern. Some handy internal auditing tools include:

Documentation tools

These can include simple office tools like Word, Excel and other office suite tools, but can also include BCM planning templates. Cloud-based software can be helpful to document processes and also make sure they are accessible. Cloud storage software like Dropbox, Acronis, and Amazon S3 can ensure data protection. Internet phone service  can be managed remotely with no need for on-site changes.

Disaster recovery tools

There are plenty of tools dedicated to disaster recovery in case of business interruption. Depending on the tool, they can help with everything from communication assistance to data recovery and office space.

• Agility Recovery

No matter the incident, you need to develop a strong disaster recovery plan. This includes names, phone numbers of qualified individuals and agencies to assist with recovering data backups. Related: Top 10 VoIP Myths & Misconceptions Debunked [INFOGRAPHIC]

The Anatomy of a Business Continuity Plan [Infographic]

Having a concrete business continuity plan is an essential security measure in today’s corporate environment. The benefits are numerous both internally and externally. Having a dynamic plan in place can help build confidence and trust with employees and shareholders. Such a plan can also help:

• Manage the company’s reputation with customers
• Assist the business to meet legal obligations
• Ensure the business has few interruptions in the event of a disaster
• Identify essential  remote tools to maintain operations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gaetano DiNardi led demand generation at Nextiva and has a track record of success working with brands like Major League Baseball, Pipedrive, Sales Hacker, and Outreach.io. Outside of marketing, Gaetano is an accomplished music producer and songwriter. He’s worked with major artists like Fat Joe, Shaggy, and loves making music to stay turbocharged.

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Blog Business 7 Business Continuity Plan Examples

7 Business Continuity Plan Examples

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Nov 28, 2023

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a strategic framework that prepares businesses to maintain or swiftly resume their critical functions in the face of disruptions, whether they stem from natural disasters, technological failures, human error, or other unforeseen events.

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses face an array of potential disruptions ranging from cyberattacks and ransomware to severe weather events and global pandemics. By having a well-crafted BCP, businesses can mitigate these risks, ensuring the safety and continuity of their critical services and operations. To further safeguard their operations, integrating measures to protect against ransomware into their BCP is a natural and essential step.

Responsibility for business continuity planning typically lies with top management and dedicated planning teams within an organization. It is a cross-functional effort that involves input and coordination across various departments, ensuring that all aspects of the business are considered.

For businesses looking to develop or refine their business continuity strategies, there are numerous resources available. Tools like Venngage’s business plan maker and their business continuity plan templates offer practical assistance, streamlining the process of creating a robust and effective BCP. 

Click to jump ahead: 

7 business continuity plan examples

Business continuity types, how to write a business continuity plan, how often should a business continuity plan be reviewed, business continuity plan vs. disaster recovery plan, final thoughts.

In business, unpredictability is the only certainty. This is where business continuity plans (BCPs) come into play. These plans are not just documents; they are a testament to a company’s preparedness and commitment to sustained operations under adverse conditions. To illustrate the practicality and necessity of these plans, let’s delve into some compelling examples.

Business continuity plan example for small business

Imagine a small business specializing in digital marketing services, with a significant portion of its operations reliant on continuous internet connectivity and digital communication tools. This business, although small, caters to a global clientele, making its online presence and prompt service delivery crucial.

Scope and objective:

This Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is designed to ensure the continuity of digital marketing services and client communications in the event of an unforeseen and prolonged internet outage. Such an outage could be caused by a variety of factors, including cyberattacks, technical failures or service provider issues. The plan aims to minimize disruption to these critical services, ensuring that client projects are delivered on time and communication lines remain open and effective.

Operations at risk:

Operation: Digital Marketing Services Operation Description: A team dedicated to creating and managing digital marketing campaigns for clients across various time zones. Business Impact: High Impact Description: The team manages all client communications, campaign designs, and real-time online marketing strategies. An internet outage would halt all ongoing campaigns and client communications, leading to potential loss of business and client trust.

Recovery strategy:

The BCP should include immediate measures like switching to a backup internet service provider or using mobile data as a temporary solution. The IT team should be prepared to deploy these alternatives swiftly.

Immediate measures within the BCP should encompass alternatives like switching to a backup internet service provider or utilizing mobile data, supplemented by tools such as backup and recovery systems, cloud-based disaster recovery solutions, and residential proxies , while the IT team should be prepared to deploy these swiftly. 

Additionally, the company should have a protocol for informing clients about the situation via alternative communication channels like mobile phones.

Roles and responsibilities:

Representative: Alex Martinez Role: IT Manager Description of Responsibilities:

• Oversee the implementation of the backup internet connectivity plan.
• Coordinate with the digital marketing team to ensure minimal disruption in campaign management.
• Communicate with the service provider for updates and resolution timelines.

Business continuity plan example for software company

In the landscape of software development, a well-structured Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is vital. This example illustrates a BCP for a software company, focusing on a different kind of disruption: a critical data breach.

Scope and objectives:

This BCP is designed to ensure the continuity of software development and client data security in the event of a significant data breach. Such a breach could be due to cyberattacks, internal security lapses, or third-party service vulnerabilities. The plan prioritizes the rapid response to secure data, assess the impact on software development projects and maintain client trust and communication.

Operation: Software Development and Data Security Operation Description: The software development team is responsible for creating and maintaining software products, which involves handling sensitive client data. In the realm of software development, where the creation and maintenance of products involve handling sensitive client data, prioritizing security is crucial. Strengthen your software development team’s capabilities by incorporating the best antivirus with VPN features, offering a robust defense to protect client information and maintain a secure operational environment. The integrity and security of this data are paramount.

Business Impact: Critical Impact Description: A data breach could compromise client data, leading to loss of trust, legal consequences and potential financial penalties. It could also disrupt ongoing development projects and delay product releases.

The IT security team should immediately isolate the breached systems to prevent further data loss, leveraging data loss prevention tools to further enhance protection. They should then work on identifying the breach’s source and extent to assess the effectiveness of their existing security controls validations and identify any gaps or weaknesses that need to be addressed

Simultaneously, the client relations team should inform affected clients about the breach and the steps being taken. The company should also engage a third-party cybersecurity or pentest firm for an independent investigation and recovery assistance.

Remember, to ensure the IT security team is equipped to handle such situations effectively, it’s imperative to invest in their training. Resources like CCNA Certification Dumps provide valuable training materials to enhance the team’s knowledge in cybersecurity protocols and practices.

Representative: Sarah Lopez Role: Head of IT Security Contact Details: [email protected] Description of Responsibilities:

• Lead the initial response to the data breach, including system isolation and assessment.
• Coordinate with external cybersecurity experts for breach analysis and mitigation.
• Work with the legal team to understand and comply with data breach notification laws.
• Communicate with the software development team leaders about the impact on ongoing projects.

Related: 7 Best Business Plan Software for 2023

Business continuity plan example for manufacturing

In the manufacturing sector, disruptions can significantly impact production lines, supply chains, and customer commitments. This example of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for a manufacturing company addresses a specific scenario: a major supply chain disruption.

This BCP is formulated to ensure the continuity of manufacturing operations in the event of a significant supply chain disruption. Such disruptions could be caused by geopolitical events, natural disasters affecting key suppliers or transportation network failures. The plan focuses on maintaining production capabilities and fulfilling customer orders by managing and mitigating supply chain risks.

Operation: Production Line Operation Description: The production line is dependent on a steady supply of raw materials and components from various suppliers to manufacture products. Business Impact: High Impact Description: A disruption in the supply chain can lead to a halt in production, resulting in delayed order fulfillment, loss of revenue and potential damage to customer relationships.

The company should establish relationships with alternative suppliers to ensure a diversified supply chain. In the event of a disruption, the procurement team should be able to quickly switch to these alternative sources. Additionally, maintaining a strategic reserve of critical materials can buffer short-term disruptions. The logistics team should also develop flexible transportation plans to adapt to changing scenarios.

Representative: Michael Johnson Role: Head of Supply Chain Management Contact Details: [email protected] Description of Responsibilities:

• Monitor global supply chain trends and identify potential risks.
• Develop and maintain relationships with alternative suppliers.
• Coordinate with logistics to ensure flexible transportation solutions.
• Communicate with production managers about supply chain status and potential impacts on production schedules.

Related: 15+ Business Plan Templates for Strategic Planning

BCPs are essential for ensuring that a business can continue operating during crises. Here’s a summary of the different types of business continuity plans that are common:

• Operational : Involves ensuring that critical systems and processes continue functioning without disruption. It’s vital to have a plan to minimize revenue loss in case of disruptions.
• Technological : For businesses heavily reliant on technology, this type of continuity plan focuses on maintaining and securing internal systems, like having offline storage for important documents.
• Economic continuity : This type ensures that the business remains profitable during disruptions. It involves future-proofing the organization against scenarios that could negatively impact the bottom line.
• Workforce continuity : Focuses on maintaining adequate and appropriate staffing levels, especially during crises, ensuring that the workforce is capable of handling incoming work.
• Safety : Beyond staffing, safety continuity involves creating a comfortable and secure work environment where employees feel supported, especially during crises.
• Environmental : It addresses the ability of the team to operate effectively and safely in their physical work environment, considering threats to physical office spaces and planning accordingly.
• Security : Means prioritizing the safety and security of employees and business assets, planning for potential security breaches and safeguarding important business information.
• Reputation : Focuses on maintaining customer satisfaction and a good reputation, monitoring conversations about the brand and having action plans for reputation management .

As I have explained so far, a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is invaluable. Writing an effective BCP involves a series of strategic steps, each crucial to ensuring that your business can withstand and recover from unexpected events. Here’s a guide on how to craft a robust business continuity plan:

1. Choose your business continuity team

Assemble a dedicated team responsible for the development and implementation of the BCP. The team should include members from various departments with a deep understanding of the business operations.

2. Outline your plan objectives

Clearly articulate what the plan aims to achieve. Objectives may include minimizing financial loss, ensuring the safety of employees, maintaining critical business operations, and protecting the company’s reputation.

3. Meet with key players in your departments

Engage with department heads and key personnel to gain insights into the specific needs and processes of each department. This helps in identifying critical functions and resources.

4. Identify critical functions and types of threats

Determine which functions are vital to the business’s survival and identify potential threats that could impact these areas. 

5. Carry on risk assessments across different areas

Evaluate the likelihood and impact of identified threats on each critical function. This assessment helps in prioritizing the risks and planning accordingly.

6. Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA)

Perform a BIA to understand the potential consequences of disruption to critical business functions. It has to be done in determining the maximum acceptable downtime and the resources needed for business continuity.

7. Start drafting the plan

Compile the information gathered into a structured document. The plan should include emergency contact information, recovery strategies and detailed action steps for different scenarios.

8. Test the plan for any gaps

Conduct simulations or tabletop exercises to test the plan’s effectiveness. This testing can reveal unforeseen gaps or weaknesses in the plan.

9. Review & revise your plan

Use the insights gained from testing to refine and update the plan. Continual revision ensures the plan remains relevant and effective in the face of changing business conditions and emerging threats.

Read Also: How to Write a Business Plan Outline [Examples + Templates]

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) should ideally be reviewed and updated at least annually. 

The annual review ensures that the plan remains relevant and effective in the face of new challenges and changes within the business, such as shifts in business strategy, introduction of new technology or changes in operational processes. 

Additionally, it’s crucial to reassess the BCP following any significant business changes, such as mergers, acquisitions or entry into new markets, as well as after the occurrence of any major incident that tested the plan’s effectiveness. 

However, in rapidly changing industries or in businesses that face a high degree of uncertainty or frequent changes, more frequent reviews – such as bi-annually or quarterly – may be necessary. 

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) are two crucial components of organizational preparedness, yet they serve different functions. The BCP is aimed at preventing interruptions to business operations and maintaining regular activities. 

It focuses on aspects such as the location of operations during a crisis (like a temporary office or remote work), how staff will communicate and which functions are prioritized. In essence, a BCP details how a business can continue operating during and after a disruption​​​​.

On the other hand, a DRP is more specific to restoring data access and IT infrastructure after a disaster. It describes the steps that employees must follow during and after a disaster to ensure minimal function necessary for the organization to continue. 

Essentially, while a BCP is about maintaining operations, a DRP is about restoring critical functions, particularly IT-related, after a disruption has occurred​

It’s clear that having a robust and adaptable business continuity plan (BCP) is not just a strategic advantage but a fundamental necessity for businesses of all sizes and sectors. 

From small businesses to large corporations, the principles of effective business continuity planning remain consistent: identify potential threats, assess the impact on critical functions, and develop a comprehensive strategy to maintain operations during and after a disruption.

The process of writing a BCP, as detailed in this article, underscores the importance of a thorough and thoughtful approach. It’s about more than just drafting a document; it’s about creating a living framework that evolves with your business and the changing landscape of risks.

To assist in this crucial task, you can use Venngage’s business plan maker & their business continuity plan templates . These tools streamline the process of creating a BCP, ensuring that it is not only comprehensive but also clear, accessible and easy to implement. 

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16 Business Continuity Plan Templates For Every Business

As a business leader, you know that unforeseen events can disrupt your business operations and impact your bottom line. That's why having a solid business continuity plan in place is essential.

But where do you start? That's where we come in. This article provides you with 16 free, customizable business continuity plan templates that are prefilled with examples, making it easy to create a plan that meets your unique needs. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, our templates are designed to help you prepare for any contingency.

In addition to the templates, we've included a step-by-step guide on how to create an effective business continuity plan. From identifying risks and critical functions to testing and updating your plan, our guide covers everything you need to know.

General Business Continuity Plan Template

New to business continuity planning? No worries! Our general BCP Template is like a friendly guide—perfect for both newcomers and veterans. Use it to get the ball rolling on your continuity planning initiative and create robust strategies that will keep your business operational in times of crisis.

How to use this template? 👀

1. Sign up to get instant access to your chosen template. (Yes, it’s 100% free.) 

2. Customize the template to fit your needs: 

• Define your focus areas or strategic priorities 
• Set strategic objectives  
• Assign KPIs and owners 
• Create action plans and projects to achieve your desired outcomes 

3. Integrate all business data in one place for a comprehensive view of performance. 

4. Use reports and dashboards to monitor progress and identify risks before they escalate. 

5. Invite your team members to collaborate and ensure everyone is working toward the same goals. 

👉 Click here to get your FREE Business Continuity Plan Template

💡All templates below follow the same structure. The only difference lies in the pre-filled sample data, making them customized for specific industries and use cases.

Industry-Specific Business Continuity Plan Templates

Hospitality bcp template.

Craft a resilience plan for your hospitality business, including hotels, restaurants, or travel services. This BCP template for Hospitality will help you establish measures to handle potential emergency situations and ensure customer satisfaction.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Hospitality Continuity Plan Template

Manufacturing BCP Template

Ensure uninterrupted production and operations with this Manufacturing Continuity Plan Template . Use this template to keep your business partner relationships, supply chains, and production lines strong, even when surprises pop up.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Manufacturing Continuity Plan Template

Transportation BCP Template

Need a solid game plan for spotting risks early and building strong strategies to manage disruptions in your transportation business? Create your own with the BCP Template for Transportation to maintain timely deliveries and operations.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Transportation Continuity Plan Template

Healthcare BCP Template

In an industry where lives depend on service reliability, the Healthcare Business Continuity Plan Template helps you build and execute contingency plans to ensure uninterrupted care and handle emergencies effectively.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Healthcare Continuity Plan Template

Retail BCP Template

Strengthen your retail business's resilience to unforeseen events like global pandemics, supply chain disruptions, or surges in demand. With this Retail BCP Template , establish plans for inventory management, customer service, and store operations.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Retail Business Continuity Plan Template

Pharmaceuticals BCP Template

Keep vital manufacturing and supply chain operations running like clockwork with our Pharmaceuticals BCP Template . This template has everything you need to hit the ground running on your continuity planning. Use it to ensure your business doesn’t miss a beat because of trade disputes, regulations, and recalls.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Pharmaceutical Business Continuity Plan Template

Financial Services BCP Template

The BCP Template for Financial Services is designed to assist financial professionals concerned about their continuity and resilience. Use it to identify and plan strategies to keep your business sailing steady and navigate business continuity management like a seasoned professional.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Financial Business Continuity Plan Template

Telecommunications BCP Template

Our Business Continuity Plan Template for Telecommunications is ideal for internet service providers, telcos, and MSPs that want to keep their telecommunication services humming along, no matter what. Use it to outline strategies to reduce the risk of disruptions such as new technology, regulatory changes, and cyber-attacks.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Telecommunications Business Continuity Plan Template

IT BCP Template

Create a comprehensive continuity plan for your information technology business with the IT Business Continuity Plan Template . This template will help you formulate and execute strategies for data center security, network downtime planning, and maintaining service levels. 

👉 Click here to get your FREE IT Business Continuity Plan Template

Nonprofits BCP Template

Ensure that your nonprofit's mission endures through unexpected events and map out your organization's preparedness with the Business Continuity Plan Template for Nonprofits . This template guides nonprofits in developing strategies for funding, communication, and service delivery during crises such as natural disasters. 

👉 Click here to get your FREE Nonprofit Continuity Plan Template

Small Business BCP Template

Build resilience and safeguard your small business to weather uncertainties with the Small Business Continuity Plan Template . With this prefilled template, you’ll be able to kickstart the strategic planning process to build effective recovery procedures and disaster mitigation strategies.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Small Business Continuity Plan Template

Special Focus Templates 

Supply chain continuity template.

Strengthen the resilience of your supply chain with this Supply Chain Business Continuity Plan Template . Use it to create and track strategies to mitigate risks such as supplier failures, transportation disruptions, and inventory shortages, ensuring a steady flow of goods and services.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Supply Chain Continuity Plan Template

Operational Continuity Plan Template

Keep your business operations running smoothly, irrespective of unforeseen challenges, with the Operational Continuity Plan Template . With it, you can quickly create an actionable Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) that guarantees your business’s preparedness when disaster strikes.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Operational Continuity Plan Template

Risk Assessment Plan Template

Risk management is at the heart of any successful continuity planning strategy. Why? Because knowing the risks your organization faces is the first step to preparing for, and effectively navigating unforeseen circumstances. 

If you're ready to start building your BCP, begin with the Risk Assessment Plan Template . This framework is designed to help you pinpoint potential risks, measure their impact, and craft proactive strategies to dodge business disruptions.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Risk Assessment Plan Template

Crisis Communications Plan Template

Effectively manage internal and external communications during a crisis with this Crisis Communications Plan Template . Ensure the right messages reach your stakeholders, employees, and customers on time. This will contribute to a well-coordinated response and support your human resources team in managing crisis-related communications effectively.

👉 Click here to get your FREE Communications Plan Template

How To Write A Business Continuity Plan 

A clear business continuity plan helps teams act quickly and effectively, minimizing disruptions to operations. If you want to build a resilient business continuity plan, here's a true-and-tried approach:

1. Identify critical business processes and types of threats

First, figure out which parts of your business are the most important. Why is this so crucial? When things go wrong, you can't keep every part of your business going—it's just not practical.

But, many senior management teams stumble at this stage because they:

• Take a siloed approach to continuity planning.
• Misidentify the core processes integral to business success.
• Exclude critical stakeholders when trying to understand what drives the business.
• Rely on outdated risk assessments and information for planning.

As PwC puts it, " Businesses struggle to do this well because it’s complex and can involve multiple departments and players. It’s not the usual approach in which business continuity is looked at solely within the siloed functions. ”

To build a resilient BCP, thoroughly examine your business, engage all stakeholders, and really understand your key business functions and processes.

2. Perform a risk assessment

Risk assessments help companies understand potential threats, their severity, and their likelihood. This crucial step aids in prioritizing planning, encourages strategic thinking, and empowers problem-solving abilities.

💡 Check out our article Risk Matrix: How To Use It In Strategic Planning for guidance . 

3. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis and prioritize strategies

A Business Impact Analysis evaluates the possible consequences of risks on your crucial business operations . It’s vital for gathering information, developing appropriate recovery strategies, and setting strategic priorities.

Consider impact such as:

• Lost or delayed sales and income
• Increased expenses
• Regulatory fines
• Loss of business opportunities
• Operational setbacks
• Reputation damage
• Loss of shareholder confidence
• Supply chain disruption

4. Build your business continuity plan

Finally, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and turn your research, risk assessment, and business impact analysis into a fully-fledged business continuity plan. 

Your continuity plan should act as a roadmap. It should outline how your organization will keep the gears turning in the face of disruptions.

Here are the key elements: 

• 🎯 Objectives
• ⏳ Timelines
• 🏆 Priorities
• 👥 Team members
• 📝 Projects and action plans

If you’re using Cascade strategy templates , you’ll have these vital elements ready and waiting to help you plan faster and better.

💡Don't spend too much time on analysis and planning. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. Instead, focus on the execution and adapt your plan as you go. 

Tips For Writing And Executing Your Business Continuity Plan

Want to create a business that can ride the wave of any disruption? You'll need a fresh take on strategic risk management and continuity planning. The real magic happens when you blend centralized observability and fast execution . 

Creating your plan shouldn't be a one-and-done deal. You need to keep an eye on things and tweak your strategies as needed. This is where Cascade strategy execution platform shines.

Cascade’s customizable dashboards give you real-time insights into your business operations. See the big picture or drill down to team-specific details, all in one place. This helps in identifying issues early and implementing your continuity plan effectively.

Time is of the essence when a crisis hits. Decision-makers need information fast. Cascade's Reports lets you create concise strategy reports with up-to-date data and charts with a click. No more wasting time on manual reporting.

Continuity planning is an ongoing, iterative process. Risks change, and your strategies should evolve accordingly. With Cascade, you can continuously monitor performance and make necessary adjustments to your business continuity plan in one place.

“Cascade provides our organization with a level of transparency we've never experienced before. Traditionally siloed teams have insight into what other groups are working on, facilitating a new level of engagement and cross-team collaboration.” - Katie B, G2

📚 Recommended reads for more tips and best practices: 

6 Steps To Successful Strategy Execution

Strategic Control Simplified: A 6-Step Process And Tools  

Get Faster Insights And Make Better Decisions With Cascade 🚀

As the world’s #1 strategy execution platform, Cascade cuts through the chaos of running business operations and paves a clear path forward.

Build continuity plans that are data-driven and aligned with your long-term vision.

Cascade helps you diagnose where you stand today and understand the factors affecting your performance, leading to informed and confident decisions.

What’s more, Cascade centralizes visibility over your execution process. This means you can swiftly identify dependencies and potential risks, and act proactively to mitigate them.

Ready to take control? Sign up for a free forever account today or book a 1:1 product tour with one of Cascade’s in-house strategy execution experts.

Business Continuity FAQs

What are the 4 ps of business continuity .

The 4 Ps of business continuity is a way of measuring the impact of disruptions on an organization. They stand for People (the impact on the lives of workers), Processes (the effect on operations), Profits (the impact on revenue generation), and Partnerships (the impact on the enabling business environment).

What is the difference between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan? 

The main difference between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan is its purpose. A business continuity plan aims to sustain the critical functions of an organization during disruptions, while a disaster recovery plan outlines the strategy for restoring normal business operations after major disruptions.

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More From Forbes

Taking a new look at business continuity planning.

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While the pandemic raised awareness and investment in business continuity plans, much more remains ... [+] to be done to prevent anticipated and unanticipated events from disrupting businesses.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, organizations, including those in financial services, are thinking hard about business continuity planning. The pandemic is raising awareness and prompting a considerable amount of investment, and while encouraging, there is much more to be done to prevent anticipated or unanticipated events from disrupting what used to be known as “business as usual.”

The world has become more volatile, complex and also more interconnected. The result is that the risk landscape is both more diverse and rapid how it is evolving. While our research found that 83% of risk managers have updated their business continuity plans in the last 12 months (and that 82% believe their current plan is fit for purpose) future disruptions are likely to take different forms and have a different impact. Planning for the last crisis won’t necessarily deliver the needed results. Much like expiration dates on food products, plans that sit untouched on the shelf can fall out of date and be less effective, or even make responding worse.

We believe the challenge of business continuity planning has become more, rather than less difficult - and this trend will only continue as the range of possible threat scenarios keeps changing and expanding. What we learned in both the global financial crisis and the pandemic, is that, in a highly connected world powered by ecosystems, partnerships and interdependencies, failure in one place can have a dramatic and unforeseen impact on another operation anywhere in your business. 

The good news is that we have more powerful and more precise tools for the risk function to manage complexity and detect the early warning signals of impending crises. Data is a foundational element; risk managers are now in position to capture and analyze more data about potentially disruptive events, while boards and top management are more engaged with the risk team, especially when insights and recommendations are based on higher quality data informed by professional experience and focused on the areas of highest criticality. 

We see three key steps that risk managers across industry lines are taking to address the complexity of the business environment, anticipate and detect emerging risks and communicate quickly with the broader organization:

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1.    As organizations move to a cloud-first strategy, risk is working to establish redundancy and backups among cloud providers and to realize the resiliency benefits derived from an acceleration to the public cloud. And, of course, risk itself is taking advantage of the cloud to capture and analyze internal and external data. 

2.    Risk is helping companies understand the benefits of resiliency. While the ability to recover quickly from adversity remains a critical attribute; successful companies will also seek to better prepare and sense emerging threats to mitigate these risks before they become crises. 

3.    Companies are realizing the benefits of an integrated approach to resiliency and are naming chief resiliency officers to increase focus and heighten awareness. These are individuals who, in collaboration with business leaders, can get the different parts of the organization working together, incorporating continuity and resiliency into everyday strategy and operations. 

The business environment is changing rapidly, and companies are facing a host of unforeseen risks. Maintaining business continuity depends upon fostering resiliency, and resiliency comes from adopting new technologies, new skills, and a new mindset. This means decompartmentalizing risk and connecting it with the overall business.

Business continuity plans remain a critical tool in the risk management arsenal, but they need ongoing care and attention to remain current. They also need to be tested using modern scenario planning and modeling technologies. Above all, they need to be realistic, tangible, tested and executable. Companies have to devote the necessary resources to carry plans out if and when they need to go into effect. 

This is a job for all three lines of defense in risk management – management control, compliance and risk management, and independent assurance. Working together, the three lines can develop an approach that can pay significant dividends, making the business stronger and more able to deliver for its stakeholders, even under the most difficult circumstances. 

Hamish Wynn, a managing director in Accenture’s digital risk and compliance group, contributed to this post.

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• Disaster recovery planning and management

Downtime can do serious damage to an organization's bottom line and reputation. Business continuity and disaster recovery -- two closely related practices -- help keep an organization running even in the wake of disaster. This guide explains how BCDR works, why you need it and how to build a BCDR plan for your organization to protect it today and into the future.

Business continuity.

• Alexander S. Gillis, Technical Writer and Editor

What is business continuity?

Business continuity is an organization's ability to maintain critical business functions during and after a disaster has occurred. Business continuity planning establishes risk management processes and procedures that aim to prevent interruptions to mission-critical services and reestablish full day-to-day function to the organization as quickly and smoothly as possible.

The most basic business continuity requirement is to keep essential functions up and running during a disaster and to recover with as little downtime as possible. A business continuity plan is a framework that considers unpredictable events and potential threats, such as natural disasters, fires, disease outbreaks, pandemics, supply chain disruptions, cyber attacks and other external threats.

Although a business continuity strategy is important for organizations of all sizes, it might not be practical for any but the largest enterprises to maintain all functions for the duration of a disaster. According to many experts, the first step in business continuity and disaster recovery planning is deciding what functions are essential and allocating the available budget accordingly. Once crucial components have been identified, administrators can put failover mechanisms in place.

Technologies such as disk mirroring enable an organization to maintain up-to-date copies of data in geographically dispersed locations, not just in the primary data center. This helps data access functions continue uninterrupted if one location is disabled and protects against data loss.

This article is part of

What is BCDR? Business continuity and disaster recovery guide

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Why is business continuity important?

Downtime is costly and disruptive, making business continuity critical. Threats that can cause downtime, such as cyberattacks and extreme weather, seem to be getting worse. According to Gartner, cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and exploiting poor cybersecurity threat detection. Therefore, it's important to have a business continuity plan in place that can help an organization maintain its critical functions after an emergency or disruption.

The plan should enable the organization to keep running at least at a minimal level during a crisis. Business continuity helps the organization maintain resiliency in responding quickly to an interruption. Strong business continuity saves money, time and company reputation. An extended outage risks financial, personal and reputational loss.

Business continuity requires an organization to look at itself, analyze potential areas of weakness and gather key information -- such as contact lists and technical diagrams of systems -- that can be useful outside of disaster situations. In undertaking the business continuity planning process, an organization can improve its communication, technology and resilience.

Business continuity might even be a requirement for legal or compliance reasons. It's important to understand which regulations affect a given organization, especially in an era of increased regulation.

What does business continuity include?

Business continuity is a proactive way to ensure mission-critical business operations continue during a disruption or in the event of a disaster. A successful business continuity plan includes the following:

• Clear and comprehensive guidelines. Business continuity features clear guidelines for what an organization must do to maintain operations. If the time comes for action, there should be no question about how to move forward with business processes. The plan should have contact information, steps for what to do when faced with a variety of incidents and a guide for when to use the document.
• Defined levels of response. Proper business continuity includes different levels of response. Not everything is mission-critical, so it's important to lay out what is most vital to keep running and what could come back online at later times. It's crucial to be honest about recovery time objectives ( RTOs ) and recovery point objectives ( RPOs ).
• A flexible response. A business continuity plan should be created to deal with any potential risks. An organization should determine how these risks will affect operations and should use the business continuity plan to outline the implementation of safeguards and procedures in case of a disaster. Testing procedures should also be put in place, along with a detailed process to ensure the plan is kept current.
• A collaborative and transparent process. The business continuity process includes the whole organization -- from executive management on down. Although IT might drive the process, it's essential to get buy-in from management and other stakeholders and to communicate key information to the entire organization. Everyone should know the basic steps for how the organization plans to respond. An important area of collaboration is with the security team; although IT and the security team often work separately, an organization benefits when the two departments share information.

3 key components of a business continuity plan

A business continuity plan has three key elements: resilience, recovery and contingency.

Resilience. An organization can increase its resilience by designing critical functions and infrastructure with various disaster possibilities in mind; this can include staffing rotations, data redundancy and maintaining a surplus of capacity. Ensuring business resiliency against different scenarios can also help organizations maintain essential services on- and off-site without interruption.

Recovery. Rapid recovery to restore business functions after a disaster is crucial. Setting RTOs for different systems, networks or applications can help prioritize which elements must be recovered first. Other recovery strategies include resource inventories, agreements with third parties to take on company activity and using converted spaces for mission-critical functions.

Contingency. A contingency plan has procedures in place for a variety of external scenarios and can include a chain of command that distributes responsibilities within the organization. These responsibilities can include hardware replacement, leasing emergency office spaces, damage assessment and contracting with third-party vendors for assistance.

Business continuity standards

Table 1 lists the standards in the International Standards Organization (ISO) 223XX series that apply to business continuity and related activities. The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) also provides global business continuity standards and best practices in its Good Practices Guidelines. Those standards and guidelines -- along with several from the U.K., including the British Standards Institute's "Guidance on organization recovery following disruptive incidents" and "Organizational Resilience Framework" -- map closely to the ISO 22301 standard.

Table 2 provides a partial listing of standards, regulations and good practices developed in the U.S. by several different organizations, including ASIS International, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST).

Business continuity plans should be adaptable

One method of instituting a business continuity plan is to perform a risk assessment of an organization's processes and then build a response plan for each instance of a risk. This can help the organization identify potential risks to the business and prepare for unexpected challenges, ensuring it's adaptable in the event of a disaster.

An organization that builds a more elastic and adaptable business continuity plan will be able to minimize the effects of numerous types of attacks and vulnerabilities. A business continuity plan should focus on resilience and flexibility and detail how to respond to potential cyber and ransomware threats across an organization's access points.

As opposed to assessing and reacting to potential disruptions, a flexible business continuity plan aligns an organization's technology, operations, processes and people -- ensuring the organization can quickly adjust and adapt to an emerging issue while mitigating its potential impacts.

Business continuity vs. disaster recovery

Like a business continuity plan, disaster recovery planning specifies an organization's planned strategies for post-failure procedures. However, a disaster recovery plan is just a subset of business continuity planning.

One of the main differences between the two is that, while business continuity focuses on keeping businesses operational throughout a disaster, a disaster recovery plan places its focus on the process of restoring data and infrastructure access after a disaster.

Disaster recovery plans are mainly data-focused and concentrate on having adequate data backup and storing data in a way that makes it easily accessible following a disaster. Business continuity takes this into account but also focuses on risk management, oversight and planning for an organization that needs to stay operational during a disruption. Business continuity also focuses on providing employee safety measures.

Business continuity development

Business continuity planning starts with initiating the planning project. Business impact analysis ( BIA ) and risk assessment are essential steps in gathering information for the plan. They offer the following benefits:

• Business impact analysis. Conducting a BIA can reveal possible weaknesses as well as the consequences of a disaster on various departments. The BIA report informs an organization of the most crucial functions and systems to prioritize in a business continuity plan.
• Risk assessment. A risk assessment identifies potential hazards to an organization, such as natural disasters, power outages, cyber attacks and technology failures. Risks can affect staff, customers, building operations and company reputation. The assessment also details what or whom a risk could harm and the risk likelihood.

The BIA and risk assessment work jointly. The BIA provides details as to the potential effects of the possible disruptions outlined in the risk assessment.

An organization should also have a defined RTO and RPO . An RTO defines the target amount of time between a failure and the resumption of operations. The RPO, by comparison, is the amount of data loss that an organization can endure. The RTO and RPO values can change from organization to organization based on several factors, including business and regulatory requirements.

Business continuity management

It's important to designate who will manage the business continuity program should a business disruption occur. It could be one person if it's a small business or a whole team for a larger organization. Business continuity management software is also an option. Software -- either on premises or cloud-based -- helps conduct BIAs, create and update plans and pinpoint areas of risk.

Business continuity is an evolving process. As such, an organization's business continuity plan shouldn't just sit on a shelf. The organization should communicate its contents to as many people as possible. Implementation of business continuity isn't just for times of crisis; the organization should have regular training exercises, so employees know what they'll be doing in the event of an actual disruption.

Business continuity testing is critical to its success. It's difficult to know if a plan is going to work if it hasn't been tested. A business continuity test can be as simple as a tabletop exercise where staff discuss what will happen in an emergency. More rigorous testing includes a full emergency simulation. An organization can plan the test in advance or perform it without notice to better mimic a crisis.

Once the organization completes a test, it should review how it went and update the crisis management plan accordingly. It's likely that some parts of the plan will go well, but other actions might need adjusting. A regular schedule for testing is helpful, especially if the business changes its operations and staff frequently. Comprehensive business continuity undergoes continual testing, review and updating.

What tools can be used in business continuity?

Organizations use a variety of methods and tools to implement business continuity plans, including the following:

• Backup. This is the process of copying physical or virtual files or databases to a secondary location for preservation in case of equipment failure or a malicious attack. This is one of the simpler processes for implementing business continuity.
• Backup as a service. A third-party provider backs up data at a secondary location using a private, public or hybrid cloud service.
• Disaster recovery as a service. In the event of a disaster, an organization moves its computer processing to the third-party DRaaS provider's cloud infrastructure. The DRaaS provider serves as the disaster recovery site when a disaster is declared.
• Virtualization. Virtualization uses software that simulates hardware functionality, creating a virtual system. The virtual system can back up a working replica of an organization's computing environment.
• Point-in-time recovery . These are snapshots of an organization's database, which are taken at regular intervals. For business continuity purposes, these snapshots can be stored in a secondary location and can be used to restore data.
• Cold site . A cold site is a basic infrastructure set up in a secondary location. Cold sites are essentially available space with minimal infrastructure set up in it. This stays true until a disaster occurs and the organization sets up more infrastructure and resources.
• Hot site. A hot site is a copy of a data center with all the organization's hardware and software running concurrently with its primary site. A hot site provides redundancy, essentially acting as a second data center. When experiencing a disaster, an organization with a hot site will experience minimal to no downtime.

Business Continuity Institute

The BCI is a global professional organization that provides education, research, professional accreditation, certification, networking opportunities, leadership and guidance on business continuity and organizational resilience .

The U.K.-based organization was established in 1994 and includes 9,000 members in more than 120 countries, in the public and private sectors. Business continuity professionals and those interested in the field can use the products and services available from the BCI.

The BCI's objectives and work include raising standards in business continuity, sharing business continuity best practices, training and certifying business continuity professionals, raising the value of the profession and developing the business case for business continuity.

The institute's many published resources include its Good Practice Guidelines document, which offers guidance for identifying business continuity activities that can support strategic planning.

Professional membership in the BCI conveys an internationally recognized status, while certification demonstrates a member's proficiency in business continuity management.

Chapters of the BCI have been established in countries or regions where there's a large community of members. The chapters, which include the U.S., Japan and India, have locally elected officers who represent the BCI in their region.

Business continuity plans vary from organization to organization, depending on the specific risks they face. Learn the top business continuity risks to monitor .

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Ensuring Resilience: Business Continuity Planning for Treasury Clients

It's that time, revisit your essential business continuity steps for this hurricane season.

The experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), predict "above-normal" hurricane activity in 2024. The NOAA is forecasting four to seven major hurricanes.

So how do you protect your organization against the disruption of a hurricane this year? Central to your plan is knowing how you will regain power and internet access - critical for both obtaining account information and initiating transactions - if power is lost. That can mean designating a recovery site equipped with internet access, as well as ensuring key treasury employees can re-establish internet access, wherever they are, using a "hot spot" device.

Plan ahead and document procedures

A well-documented business continuity plan can help your organization anticipate evacuation procedures, response team, and react timely so you can resume normal business operations.  One of the first steps in developing such a plan is to conduct a detailed review of operations and document all cash flow-related processes and how a disaster would impact them.

Treasury Manager can help your business run smoothly in a disaster environment because you will have electronic access to your accounts, payables and receivables. You have complete access to all your accounts and services from either your laptop or mobile device.

Partner with your bank

Your bank can help bolster your continuity capabilities through various treasury management solutions. 

• Download the convenient Treasury Manager app which gives you the ability to utilize all the system features from anywhere— whether you’re using a mobile phone or tablet.
• Plan for remote office necessities. Make sure to bring all hardware (laptop and tokens) and software you will need to continue to do business remotely in case of evacuation.
• Make timely payments . With Treasury Manager, you can use your smartphone or other mobile device to review information, initiate and approve transactions, make payments and manage accounts anywhere you have internet access. In a disaster, you also will benefit from electronic payment origination capabilities, which aren’t subject to Postal Service delays as checks are. For example, ACH lets you directly deposit pay into employee accounts and avoid the delays that can come with distributing payroll checks.
• Collect payments . Remote and mobile deposit can enable staff to deposit checks into a bank account online, when physically transporting them to a bank branch would be challenging.
• Meet temporary financing needs . Talk to your banker about establishing a line of credit sufficient to keep your business afloat if cash flow from customer payments were to dwindle temporarily.
• Keep cash on hand . If you are a retail business with a lot of cash receipts, and you must be able to make change, plan to order extra coin and currency from your bank in advance of forecasted bad-weather events.
• Make emergency purchases . Commercial cards can enable essential personnel to cover emergency business expenses.

Test to evaluate preparedness

It’s not enough to draw up a good plan and adopt banking products that are useful in disaster situations. You also need to train appropriate staff members on every facet of your plan, so they know what to do and how to use the tools at their disposal.

Don’t wait until a disaster strikes to learn if your business continuity plan works. Test your plan regularly using a combination of informal, discussion-based meetings — sometimes called “table-top” sessions — and actual hands-on, full-scale recovery exercises.

As part of your business continuity planning, talk to a Hancock Whitney banker or Treasury Services Specialist at 1-866-594-2304 to learn more about how Treasury Manager can help.

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Enter your first name, email and comments below, related posts, treasury services ease transition for emerging middle-market firms.

Transitioning from a small-market to a middle-market business brings many challenges, as owners and their typically lean staffs find themselves pulled in various directions and seeking ways to operate more efficiently.

Another Fraud Threat to Protect Against: Fake Online Banking Login Pages

Sophisticated and often global criminal organizations are out to defraud your business, and their strategies are constantly evolving. One of the latest types of cyberattacks you need to be familiar with — and educate your employees about — is called “website/URL spoofing.” Cyber criminals are using this form of fraud to attack users of commercial online banking platforms.

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* DRI's three levels of certification are associate certified, certified and master certified. Certifications beginning with "A" are associate, "C" certified and "M" master.-->

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Learn more about how to unlock your DRI digital badge and display your DRI certification to enhance your online professional profile today.

Maintaining your DRI International certification carries two requirements; an annual maintenance fee as well as Continuing Education Activity Points (CEAP).

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Planet hollywood las vegas resort & casino 3667 las vegas blvd s las vegas, nv 89109 las vegas united states, 2 full days of instruction (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) certificate of completion provided 16 continuing education activity points (ceaps) may be awarded towards recertification if applicable.

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1. Clearly communicate the benefit of an exercise and evaluation program 2. Define the terms associated with Business Continuity Plan Exercise and Assessment 3. Understand Business Continuity Exercise and Assessment concepts 4. Describe the methodologies used in Business Continuity Plan Exercise and Assessment

Lesson 1: The Value of Exercising and Evaluating - Establish a position statement - Limit mistakes made in a training environment - Enable decision making - Produce tangible results - Enhance business continuity awareness, training, and efficacy Lesson 2: The ICS and HSEEP - Discuss Incident Command System (ICS) - Discuss Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) - Review HSEEP guidance on developing a progressive exercise and evaluation program Lesson 3: Fundamentals - Review fundamental principles of exercising and testing - Establish senior leadership guidance - Assess performance against objective - Exercise community integration - Exercise management Lesson 4: Program Management - Discuss exercise and test principles, methodology, and planning - Review exercise and test cycle of preparedness - Explore engaging senior leaders in the exercise and test program - Describe a progressive approach for the exercise and test program - Review types of the exercises and tests and how to report results to leadership Lesson 5: Design and Develop - Present a design and development overview - Review exercise planning, concepts and objectives meetings - Describe developing the exercise planning team - Discuss exercise design Lesson 6: Conduct Exercise - Discuss exercise and test preparation, management, and conducting activities - Review conducting exercise briefings and wrap-up activities Lesson 7: Exercise Evaluation - Present an overview of exercise evaluation - Discuss exercise evaluation planning and training - Discuss observation and data collection types and analysis Lesson 8: Plan and Implement Improvements - Review corrective actions and continuous improvement support - Conduct in-depth review of HSEEP forms and resources ------- For in-person courses: This course will be held in-person and the exam will be held on the morning of the final day. As soon as you are finished taking the exam, you will be able to leave for the day. A computer is required for this course in order for you to take the exam. The system requirements will be sent to you via email together with information about how to access the course materials prior to the start of the course. For courses held online: All online courses are held via Zoom and a computer is required for this course. The system requirements will be sent to you via email together with information about how to access the course materials prior to the start of the course. You will also be provided with instructions for how to take the exam online following the course. For international courses: This course is being hosted by a DRI International partner. To register, you will be asked to provide your contact information and we will put you in touch with the local team for details. For courses held pre-conference: This course is being held in-person prior to the DRI Annual Conference at or near the conference venue. You can then attend the conference immediately following your course with an additional registration (separate fee applies).

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Registration applies only to the individual named on the registration form. If you want to substitute another individual from the same company, you must contact the course registrar prior to the first day of the course. Rescheduling must occur within twelve months of the originally scheduled course and no more than three course transfers are permitted. Within twelve months, there is no charge for course transfers. If you exceed the allotted twelve months for rescheduling or limit of three course transfers, no refunds will be made.

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