Business continuity management (BCM) is a process that helps manage risks to the smooth running of an organisation or delivery of a service, ensuring continuity of critical functions in the event of a disruption, and effective recovery afterwards.

In order to develop a business continuity plan you need to have a thorough understanding of your business. This involves knowing the critical functions of your business, the effect of those functions being disrupted and the priority for recovery of those functions. This process is known as a business impact analysis.

You need to consider what the critical functions / activities are for your business – without which it would cease to operate?

Examples of critical functions, using a small manufacturing company as an example are:

• Staff wages
• Call Centre
• IT department
• Sales
• Goods In
• Distribution
• Manufacture

NOTE: You will need to complete a business impact analysis for each of your critical functions / teams. The Abacus Safety software tool has been designed to allow for multiple business impact analyses to be completed.

Effective business continuity management
The success of business contintuity management is built on the 'seven Ps':

• People - roles and responsibilities, awareness and education
• Programme - proactively managing the process
• Processes - all organisational processes, including ICT
• Premises - buildings and facilities
• Providers - supply chain, including outsourcing
• Profile - brand, image and reputation
• Performance - benchmarking, evaluation and audit.

Software - Can be installed on any computer connected to the internet

Time - Depends on the number of sections which are completed

Availability - 24/7

Reporting - Many report forms are available upon completion

Cost - TBA

This programme is currently being developed and is expected to available for download and purchase early 2009. If you are interested in beta testing this software please contact us here. Contact>>