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7 Business Continuity Exercise Scenarios That You Need to Prepare For

business continuity plan scenarios

May 17, 2022 By //  by  Bryan Strawser

According to research, about 25% of businesses fail to recover after disasters. If they lack a recovery plan, it becomes hard to cope with the repercussions. That’s why your business needs an ideal business continuity plan (BCP). In this article, we discuss how to test your BCP plan using several different business continuity exercise scenarios.

To top off business security in case of exercise scenarios, testing your BCP prior is crucial. However, it’s good to understand that each business has a distinct BCP depending on size and other factors. That’s why you need to carry out a risk assessment and business impact analysis to be aware of the ideal risk factors.

Luckily, below, we discuss seven of the most common business continuity exercises, types of tests, and the importance of testing your continuity plan.

Types of Tests

These are the three most common tests for your plan to ensure business continuity if the risk occurs.

1. Plan Review

It’s one of the most straightforward tests. The planning and recovery team goes through all the points on the BCP. The team ensures the plan covers all the company’s objectives without conducting any practical work.

2. Tabletop Testing

It’s the most common in many businesses and a better version of the plan review. In this test, employees test the plan in a conference setting . The employees get to act and respond to specific exercises as they would if it was the actual day of the incident.

3. Simulation Test

It’s the most realistic of the three, where employees perform the exercises in their workstations. It’s also the most practical, as they don’t skip any activity.

Importance of Testing

Testing your business’s BCP is crucial because it creates a picture of the scenarios, making it easy for team members to relate. Here’s why you need to conduct the tests.

  • Team members get practical preparation.
  • It’s good to identify any loopholes in the BCP.
  • It ensures you cover all your company’s objectives.
  • Lastly, it gives room to amend the BCP before the ideal scenarios.

Want to put your tabletop exercises on auto-pilot?

In our experience, business teams that practice crisis, disruption, and business continuity scenarios respond faster and recover more quickly than teams that do not.

Managing crisis & continuity exercises for hundreds of business units worldwide is a tall order. That’s why we’ve developed a set of crisis & continuity exercises that can be executed by a business leader in an hour or less – and don’t require expert facilitation from a crisis management or business continuity team.

Our Exercise in a Box scenarios and materials were written by the battle-tested experts in crisis management, business continuity, and crisis communications at Bryghtpath.

Learn more about Exercise in a Box >>

Business Continuity Exercise Scenarios

Now that you understand why you need a business continuity plan, the kind of tests to conduct, and their importance, let’s dive into the ideal exercise scenarios.

1. Cyberattacks

Cyber security is still a worrying issue for most businesses, as it poses a threat to a company’s data. Since most companies today share their data through the internet, they are prone to phishing, ransomware , and malware. These could lead to data loss and an expensive yet risky recovery process.

For instance, imagine a scenario where one of the employees gets exposed to phishing, leaking the company’s critical details. To handle such a case, you need to answer a few questions like, do you have the proper means to retrieve the data? How fast would the process take? Is the information encrypted? And lastly, who should the employee report to first? That will help you develop the best plan to help you in such a situation if it happens.

2. Pandemics

In as much as pandemics don’t happen every so often, COVID-19 came as a reminder that you cannot avoid preparing for one. You should have measures to control the effects of the pandemic as a business since inception.

For instance, if it’s a contagious disease, your BCP should stipulate what departments need to report to work physically. It should also state how remote workers can access the company’s data. Lastly, your business continuity plan should note if such an arrangement would affect payroll for better coordination. With such measures in place, the situation becomes manageable, and you have an assurance of business continuity until the pandemic is over.

3. Physical Disruptions

These could involve fire, active shooters, or workplace violence. For instance, if there was a fire, is your team aware of how they could respond to that ? Depending on your company’s location, some areas have a requirement to conduct fire drills often. Either way, it’s wise to prepare your employees in advance.

Conduct a fire drill often, and let your team know how they respond if it happens. The same goes for active shooter scenarios. Let them know the essential measures for their protection.

4. Natural Disasters

Especially in disaster-prone areas, prior preparation is crucial. These disasters could include earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires. For instance, in the case of earthquakes, the west coast is prone to earthquakes and wildfires, while the east coast is more prone to hurricanes and snowstorms.

Depending on your business location, you need to prepare to handle such occurrences. You can even set aside a budget to control damages and set up your business in a way it can withstand disasters. Also, it would help if you prepared for a time when it’ll be impossible to have employees reporting to work physically.

5. Power Outage

For instance, in a scenario where there’s a power outage because of a storm and the power company gives a power outage notice for a few days, do you plan to run the business? Do you have backup generators? Will all employees have to report to work physically? These are some questions you should consider when making a continuity plan for a power outage.

6. Network Outage

Today, access to a network is crucial for communication and completing everyday tasks. Having a backup plan is vital. You should ensure employees can access company data through a secure means. That ensures business continues, especially in critical departments.

7. Emergency Communication

It’s the most critical part of any business. That involves a channel of informing the ideal personnel when there’s a hitch or any shortcoming. For instance, how fast is your channel for emergency communication? Does your channel offer emergency contacts, people that are first to get information? In case of a power or network outage, would you still communicate? Is your team well informed on how to access it?

These are some of the questions you need to ask when selecting an ideal communication channel . That’s because communication is the backbone of success in any undertaking. It helps with coordination, ensuring you conquer any barriers your business might encounter.

It would be easier for a business to respond to a risk occurrence with measures already in place. That’s because you are not starting from zero. Also, you get to minimize the downtime and survive the season until recovery. Every business needs this for its continuity despite setbacks.

Want to work with us or learn more about Business Continuity & Crisis Management?

  • Our proprietary  Resiliency Diagnosis  process is the perfect way to advance your business continuity & crisis management program. Our thorough standards-based review culminates in a full report, maturity model scoring, and a clear set of recommendations for improvement.
  • Our  Business Continuity (including effective continuity exercises) & Crisis Management  services help you rapidly grow and mature your program to ensure your organization is prepared for the storms that lie ahead.
  • Our  Ultimate Guide to Business Continuity  contains everything you need to know about Business Continuity while our  Ultimate Guide to Crisis Management  does the same for Crisis Management.
  • Our free  Business Continuity 101 Introductory Course  and/or our  Crisis Management 101 Introductory Course  may help you with an introduction to the world of business continuity & crisis management – and help prepare your organization for your next disruption.
  • Learn about our  Free Resources , including articles, a  resource library , white papers, reports,  free introductory courses , webinars, and more.
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About Bryan Strawser

Bryan Strawser is Founder, Principal, and Chief Executive at Bryghtpath LLC, a strategic advisory firm he founded in 2014. He has more than twenty-five years of experience in the areas of, business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, enterprise risk, intelligence, and crisis communications.

At Bryghtpath, Bryan leads a team of experts that offer strategic counsel and support to the world’s leading brands, public sector agencies, and nonprofit organizations to strategically navigate uncertainty and disruption.

Learn more about Bryan at this link .

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7 Real-Life Business Continuity Examples You’ll Want to Read

  • March 14, 2022

Tracy Rock

It’s no secret that we believe in the importance of disaster preparedness and business continuity  at every organization. But what does that planning actually look like when it’s put to the test in a real-world scenario?

Today, we look at 7 business continuity examples to show how organizations have worked to minimize downtime (or not) after critical events.

Business Continuity Examples: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

1) ransomware disrupts ireland’s healthcare system  .

For years, healthcare organizations have been a top target for ransomware attacks. The critical nature of their operations, combined with notoriously lax IT security throughout the industry, are a magnet for ransomware groups looking for big payouts.

But despite the warnings, healthcare orgs still remain vulnerable. A prime example was the 2021 ransomware attack on Ireland’s healthcare system (HSE) – the fallout from which was still being understood nearly a year later.

According to reports, the attack had a widespread impact on operations:

  • Dozens of outpatient services were shut down
  • IT outages affected at least 5 hospitals, including Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin Hospital
  • Employee payment systems were knocked offline, delaying pay for 146,000 staff
  • Covid-19 test results were delayed and a Covid-19 vaccine portal went offline
  • Appointments were canceled across numerous facilities and medical departments
  • Near-full recovery and restoration of all servers and applications took more than 3 months

All told, the attack was projected to cost more than $100 million in recovery efforts alone. That figure does not include the projected costs to implement a wide range of new security protocols that were recommended in the wake of the attack.

Like several of the business continuity examples highlighted below, the Ireland attack did have some good disaster recovery methods in place. Despite the impact of the event, there were several mitigating factors that prevented the attack from being even worse, such as:

  • Once the attack was known, cybersecurity teams shut down more than 85,000 computers to stop the spread.
  • Disaster recovery teams inspected more than 2,000 IT systems, one by one, to contain the damage and ensure they were clean.
  • Cloud-based systems were not exposed to the ransomware.

However, there was some luck involved.

As HSE raced to contain the damage from the attack and secured a High Court Injunction to restrain the sharing of its hacked data, the attackers suddenly released the decryption key online. Without that decryption, HSE would not have had adequate data backup systems to recover from the attack. As the group concluded in its post-incident review :

“It is unclear how much data would have been unrecoverable if a decryption key had not become available as the HSE’s backup infrastructure was only periodically backed up to offline tape. Therefore it is highly likely that segments of data for backup would have remained encrypted, resulting in significant data loss. It is also likely to have taken considerably longer to recover systems without the decryption key.”

2) The city of Atlanta is hobbled by ransomware

There has been no shortage of other headline-making ransomware attacks over the last few years. But one that stands out (and whose impact reverberated for at least a year after the incident) was the March 2018 SamSam  ransomware attack on the City of Atlanta .

The attack devastated the city government’s computer systems:

  • Numerous city services were disrupted, including police records, courts, utilities, parking services and other programs.
  • Computer systems were shut down for 5 days, forcing many departments to complete essential paperwork by hand.
  • Even as services were slowly brought back online over the following weeks, the full recovery took months.

Attackers demanded a $52,000 ransom payment. But when all was said and done, the full impact of the attack was projected to cost more than $17 million. Nearly $3 million alone was spent on contracts for emergency IT consultants and crisis management firms.

In many ways, the Atlanta ransomware attack is a lesson in inadequate business continuity planning. The event revealed that the city’s IT was woefully unprepared for the attack. Just two months prior, an audit found 1,500 to 2,000 vulnerabilities in the city’s IT systems, which were compounded by “obsolete software and an IT culture driven by ‘ad hoc or undocumented’ processes,” according to  StateScoop .

Which vulnerabilities allowed the attack to happen? Weak passwords, most likely. That is a common entry point for SamSam attackers, who use brute-force software to guess thousands of password combinations in a matter of seconds. Frankly, it’s an unsophisticated method that could have been prevented with stronger password management protocols.

Despite the business continuity missteps, credit should still be given to the many IT professionals (internal and external) who worked to restore critical city services as quickly as possible. What’s clear is that the city did have some disaster recovery procedures in place that allowed it to restore critical services. If it hadn’t, the event likely would have been much worse.

3) Fire torches office of managed services provider (MSP)

Here’s an example of business continuity done right:

In 2013, lightning struck an office building in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, causing a fire to break out. The offices were home to Cantey Technology, an IT company that hosts servers for more than 200 clients.

The fire torched Cantey’s network infrastructure, melting cables and burning its computer hardware. The equipment was destroyed beyond repair and the office was unusable. For a company whose core service is hosting servers for other companies, the situation looked bleak. Cantey’s entire infrastructure was destroyed.

But ultimately, Cantey’s clients never knew the difference:

  • As part of its business continuity plan, Cantey had already moved its client servers to a remote data center, where continual backups were stored.
  • Even though Cantey’s staff were forced to move to a temporary office, its clients never experienced any interruption in service.

It was an outcome that could have turned out very differently. Only five years prior, the company had kept all of its client servers on site. But founder Willis Cantey made the right determination that this setup created too many risks. All it would take is one major on-site disruption to wipe out his entire business, as well as his clients’ businesses, potentially leaving him exposed to legal liabilities as well.

Cantey thus implemented a more comprehensive business continuity plan and moved his clients’ servers off-site. And in doing so, he averted disaster.

4) Computer virus infects UK hospital network

In another post , we highlighted one of the worst business continuity examples we saw in 2016 – before ransomware had become a well-known threat in the business community.

On October 30, 2016, a nasty “computer virus” infected a network of hospitals in the UK, known as the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. At the time, little was known about the virus, but its impact on operations was devastating:

  • The virus crippled its systems and halted operations at three separate hospitals for five days.
  • Patients were literally turned away at the door and sent to other hospitals, even in cases of “major trauma” or childbirth.
  • In total, more than 2,800 patient procedures and appointments were canceled because of the attack. Only critical emergency patients, such as those suffering from severe accidents, were admitted.

Remarkably, a report in Computing.co.uk speculated that there had been no business continuity plan document in place. Even if there had been, clearly there were failings. Disaster scenarios can be truly life-or-death at healthcare facilities. Every healthcare organization must have a clear business continuity plan outlined with comprehensive measures for responding to a critical IT systems failure. If there had been in this case, the hospitals likely could have remained open with little to no disruption.

The hospital system was initially tight-lipped about the attack. But in the year following the incident, it became clear that ransomware was to blame – specifically, the Globe2 variant.

Interestingly, however, hospital officials did not say the ransomware infection was due to an infected email being opened (which is what allows most infections to occur). Instead, they said a misconfigured firewall was to blame. (It’s unclear then exactly how the ransomware passed through the firewall—it may have come through inboxes after all.) Unfortunately, officials knew about the firewall misconfiguration before the attack occurred, which is what makes this incident a prime example of a business continuity failure. The organization had plans to fix the problem, but they were too late. The attack occurred “before the necessary work on weakest parts of the system had been completed.”

5) Electric company responds to unstable WAN connection

Here is another example of well-executed business continuity.

After a major electric company in Georgia  experienced failure  with one of its data lines, it took several proactive steps to ensuring its critical systems would not experience interruption in the future. The company implemented a FatPipe WARP at its main site, bonding two connections to achieve redundancy, and it also readied plans for a third data line. Additionally, the company replicated its mission-critical servers off-site, incorporating its own site-failover WARP.

According to Disasterrecovery.org:

“Each office has a WARP, which bonds lines from separate ISPs connected by a fiber loop. They effectively established data-line failover at both offices by setting up a single WARP at each location. They also accomplished a total site failover solution by implementing the site failover between the disaster recovery and main office locations.”

While the initial WAN problem was minimal, this is a good example of a company that is planning ahead to prevent a worst-case scenario. Given the critical nature of the utility company’s services (which deliver energy to 170,000 homes across five counties surrounding Atlanta), it’s imperative that there are numerous failsafes in place.

6) German telecom giant rapidly restores service after fire

Among the better business continuity examples we’ve seen, incident management solutions are increasingly playing an important role.

Take the case of a German telecom company that discovered a dangerous fire was encroaching on one of its crucial facilities. The building was a central switching center, which housed important telecom wiring and equipment that were vital to providing service to millions of customers.

The company uses an incident management system from Simba, which alerted staff to the fire, evaluated the impact of the incident, automatically activated incident management response teams and sent emergency alerts to Simba’s 1,600 Germany-based employees. The fire did indeed reach the building, ultimately knocking out the entire switching center. But with an effective incident management system in place, combined with a redundant network design, the company was able to fully restore service within six hours.

7) Internet marketing firm goes mobile in face of Hurricane Harvey

Research shows that 40-60% of small businesses never reopen their doors after a major disaster. Here’s an example of one small firm that didn’t want to become another statistic.

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey slammed into Southeast Texas, ravaging homes and businesses across the region. Over 4 days, some areas received more than 40 inches of rain. And by the time the storm cleared, it had caused more than $125 billion in damage.

Countless small businesses were devastated by the hurricane. Gaille Media, a small Internet marketing agency, was  almost  one of them. Despite being located on the second floor of an office building, Gaille’s offices were flooded when Lake Houston overflowed. The flooding was so severe, nobody could enter the building for three months. And when Gaille’s staff were finally able to enter the space after water levels receded, any hopes for recovering the space were quickly crushed. The office was destroyed, and mold was rampant.

The company never returned to the building. However, its operations were hardly affected.

That’s because Gaille kept most of its data stored in the cloud, allowing staff to work remotely through the storm and after. Even with the office shuttered, they never lost access to their critical documents and records. In fact, when it came time to decide where to relocate, the owner ultimately decided to keep the company decentralized, allowing workers to continue working remotely (and providing a glimpse of how other businesses around the world would similarly adapt to disaster during the Covid-19 pandemic three years later).

Had the company kept all its data stored at the office, the business may never have recovered.

Examples of poor business continuity planning

Some of the real-life business continuity examples above paint a picture of what can go wrong when there are lapses in continuity planning. But what exactly do those lapses look like? What are the specific failures that can increase a company’s risk of disaster?

Here are the big ones:

  • No business continuity plan: Every business needs a BCP that outlines its unique threats, along with protocols for prevention and recovery.
  • No risk assessment: A major component of your BCP is a risk assessment that should define how your business is at risk of various disaster scenarios. We list several examples of these risks below.
  • No business impact analysis: The risk assessment is useless without an analysis of how those threats actually affect the business. Organizations must conduct an impact analysis to understand how various events will disrupt operations and at what cost.
  • No prevention: Business continuity isn’t just about keeping the business running in a disaster. It’s about risk mitigation as well. Companies must be proactive about implementing technologies and protocols that will  prevent  disruptive events from occurring in the first place.
  • No recovery plan:  Every disaster scenario needs a clear path to recovery. Without such protocols and systems, recovery will take far longer, if it happens at all.

Examples of threats to your business continuity

It’s important to remember that business-threatening disasters can take many forms. It’s not always a destructive natural disaster. In fact, it’s far more common to experience disaster from “the inside” – events that hurt your productivity or affect your IT infrastructure and are just as disruptive to your operations.

Example threats include:

  • Cyberattacks
  • Malware and viruses
  • Network & internet disruptions
  • Hardware/software failure
  • Natural disasters
  • Severe weather
  • Flooding (including pipe bursts)
  • Terrorist attacks
  • Office vandalism/destruction
  • Workforce stoppages (transportation blockages, strikes, etc.)

The list goes on and on. Any single one of these threats can disrupt your business, which is why it’s so important to take continuity planning seriously.

Business continuity technology

Within IT, data loss is often the primary focus of business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR). And for good reason …

Data is the lifeblood of most business operations today, encompassing all the emails, files, software and operating systems that companies depend on every day. A major loss of data, whether caused by ransomware, human error or some other event, can be disastrous for businesses of any size.

Backing up that data is thus a vital component of business continuity planning.

Today’s  best data backup systems  are smarter and more resilient than they were even just a decade ago. Solutions from Datto, for example, are built with numerous features to ensure continuity, including hybrid cloud technology (backups stored both on-site and in the cloud), instant virtualization, ransomware detection and automatic backup verification, just to name a few.

Like other BC initiatives, a data backup solution itself won’t prevent data-loss events from occurring. But it does ensure that businesses can rapidly recover data if/when disaster strikes, so that operations are minimally impacted – and that’s the whole point of business continuity.

Learn more: request a free demo

For more information on data backup solutions from Datto,  request a free demo  – or contact our business continuity experts at Invenio IT by calling (646) 395-1170 or by emailing  [email protected] .

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Continuity Insights

5 Essential Scenarios for Testing Your Business Continuity Plan

Continuity insights.

By Lauren Groff:

Business continuity planning is being widely embraced as an essential component of business strategy. With a continuity plan, you’ll ensure your organization will be able to deal with and recover from any potential threat that could arise. Despite widespread adoption, however, too many businesses consider a BCP a once-and-done affair. However, to ensure the greatest resilience in your organization, regular testing of your plan will ensure it’s up to scratch.

Testing your plan often reveals gaps and flaws that would otherwise be unforeseen – business threats are dynamic, and your BCP needs to be adaptable to ensure your business survives.

How Often Should You Test? Once you acknowledge the need for testing your BCP, the questions of how and when arise. The unique position of every organization, and the threats to their position, means that there’s no right or wrong time to test your BCP. A larger organization with more at stake – as well as more variables affecting performance – will need to test more often than a smaller organization. What’s key, however, is that your BCP is tested. Without assessing the performance of your BCP in test conditions, you’ll never know if your organization has the resilience it badly needs.

1) Data Loss or Data Breach

No company can operate without its data. Yet data is inherently vulnerable, and often an avenue of attack. Testing your BCP for the eventuality of a data breach will ensure your business has a proactive response to a loss, whether that’s caused by an external attack or internal error.

In the event of a data breach, regaining possession of your data is critical. Your BCP will outline how your data has been backed up. But does your business continuity plan facilitate the restoration of your data, and determine who is responsible for implementing this procedure?

2) Power Loss Power outages happen for a variety of reasons and are more and more common as adverse weather becomes the norm. Utility companies can take several days to restore power in worst case scenarios. An absence of power causes huge knock-on effects on business operations and this is one essential scenario for your BCP to perform against.

Logistical strategy in response to power outage should be outlined in your BCP and a hierarchy of relief should be established to ensure that the departments that need a quick response get the help they need. Make sure you know if your BCP is equipped to respond to this scenario.

3) Network Outage A network outage often follows from a power outage, but the network can drop without power disappearing, with no indication of how long it may last. Any business continuity plan needs to be prepared for the unique elements of this scenario.

Testing your BCP under these conditions will ensure that the network is restored without delay. In 2021 more employees than ever before are working from home and ensuring your BCP hasn’t become outdated can prevent dramatic losses of productivity when the network fails.

4) Physical Events Fire, hurricanes, or tsunamis – we never expect a natural disaster to land on our doorstep, until it does. Whilst all organizations will have regular fire drills in place, ensuring your BCP is ready for any extreme act of nature will build great resilience into your business.

Beyond acts of nature, situations such as bomb threats and civil unrest may need to be taken into account in a BCP. Whilst some scenarios will unfold in unforeseen ways, planning a BCP that’s flexible in the face of disaster is vital to success.

5) Emergency Comms Communication is essential to your ability to operate your business, and whilst comms may fail during natural disaster or power outage, communication is so important it deserves its own place within your BCP testing procedure.

Preparing non-traditional methods of staying in contact with your team such as emergency notification software will allow you to keep in touch no matter what happens. This is likely to be the groundwork for any action plan contained within your BCP and its performance should be tested regularly.

Wrapping Up Business continuity plans are vital to the resilience of your organization in the face of disaster. As challenging circumstances emerge, the corporations that have assembled and tested their responses will be ready to thrive. Make sure you’re on the winning side.

About the Author: Lauren Groff has been Emergency Management Coordinator for 4 years and is the lead tech writer at Essay writing services reviews and Best assignment writing services AU . She’s passionate about protecting organizations from the influx of variables the world throws at them. You can read more of her work at Best essay writing services .

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

Swetha Amaresan

Published: December 30, 2022

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

executives discussing business continuity plan

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.

Free Download: Crisis Management Plan & Communication Templates

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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Crisis Communication and Management Kit

Manage, plan for, and communicate during your corporate crises with these crisis management plan templates.

  • Free Crisis Management Plan Template
  • 12 Crisis Communication Templates
  • Post-Crisis Performance Grading Template
  • Additional Crisis Best Management Practices

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

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.

Business Continuity Plan

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How to Write a Business Continuity Plan Step-by-Step: Our Experts Provide Tips

By Andy Marker | October 21, 2020 (updated August 17, 2021)

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In order to adequately prepare for a crisis, your company needs a business continuity plan. We’ve culled detailed step-by-step instructions, as well as expert tips for writing a business continuity plan and free downloadable tools.  

Included on this page, find the steps to writing a business continuity plan and a discussion of the key components in a plan . You’ll also find a business continuity plan quick-start template  and a disruptive incident quick-reference card template for print or mobile, and an expert disaster preparation checklist .

Step by Step: How to Write a Business Continuity Plan

A business continuity plan refers to the steps a company takes to help it continue operations during a crisis. In order to write a business continuity plan, you gather information about key people, tools, and processes, then write the plan as procedures and lists of resources. 

To make formatting easy, download a free business continuity plan template . To learn more about the role of a business continuity plan, read our comprehensive guide to business continuity planning . 

  • Write a Mission Statement for the Plan: Describe the objectives of the plan. When does it need to be completed? What is the budget for disaster and recovery preparation, including research, training, consultants, and tools? Be sure to detail any assumptions about financial or other resources, such as government business continuity grants.
  • Set Up Governance: Describe the business continuity team. Include names or titles and role designations, as well as contact information. Clearly define roles, lines of authority and succession, and accountability. Add an organization or a functional diagram. Select one of these free organizational chart templates to get started.
  • Write the Plan Procedures and Appendices: This is the core of your plan. There's no one correct way to create a business continuity document, but the critical content it should include are procedures, agreements, and resources.Think of your plan as lists of tasks or processes that people must perform to keep your operation running. Be specific in your directions, and use diagrams and illustrations. Remember that checklists and work instructions are simple and powerful tools to convey key information in a crisis. Learn more about procedures and work instructions . You should also note who on the team is responsible for knowing plan details.

Michele Barry

  • Set Procedures for Testing Recovery and Response: Create test guidelines and schedules for testing. To review the plan, consider reaching out to people who did not write the plan. Put together the forms and checklists that attendees will use during tests.

Alex Fullick

A business continuity plan is governed by a business continuity policy. You can learn more about creating a business continuity policy and find examples by reading our guide on developing an effective business continuity policy .

How to Create a Business Continuity Plan

Creating a business continuity plan (BCP) involves gathering a team, studying risks and key tasks, and choosing recovery activities. Then write the plan as a set of lists and guidelines, which may address risks such as fires, floods, pandemics, or data breaches.

According to Alex Fullick, your best bet is to create a simple plan. “I usually break everything down into three key categories: people, places, and things. If you focus on a couple of key pieces, you will be a lot more effective. That big binder of procedures is absolutely worthless. You need a bunch of guidelines to say what you do in a given situation: where are our triggers for deciding we’re in a crisis and we have to stop doing XYZ, and just focus on ABC.” 

“Post-pandemic, I think new managers will develop more policies and guidelines of all types than required, as a fear response,” cautions Michele Barry. 

Because every company is different, no two approaches to business continuity planning are the same. Tony Bombacino, Co-Founder and President of Real Food Blends , describes his company’s formal and informal business continuity approaches. “The first step in any crisis is for our nerve center to connect quickly, assess the situation, and then go into action,” he explains. 

Tony Bombacino

“Our sales manager and our marketing manager might discuss what’s going on, and say, ‘Are we going to say anything on social media? Do we need to reach out to any of our customers? The key things, like maintaining stock levels or what if somebody gets sick? What if there's a recall?’ Those plans we have laid out. But we're not a 5,000-person multi-billion-dollar company, so our business continuity plan is often in emails and Google Docs.” 

Mike Semel

“I've done planning literally for hundreds of businesses where we've just filled out basic forms,” says Mike Semel, President and Chief Compliance Officer of Semel Consulting . “For example, noting the insurance company's phone number — you know, on the back of your utility bill, which you never look at, there's an emergency number for if the power goes out or if the gas shuts off. We've helped people gather all that information and put it down. Even if there's no other plan, just having that information at their fingertips when they need it may be enough.”

You can also approach your business continuity planning as including three types of responses:

  • Proactive Strategies: Proactive approaches prevent crises. For example, you may buy an emergency generator to keep power running in your factory, or install a security system to prevent or limit loss during break-ins. Or you may create a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy and offer training for remote workers to protect your network and data security.
  • Reactive Strategies: Reactive strategies are your immediate responses to a crisis. Examples of reactive methods include evacuation procedures, fire procedures, and emergency response strategies.
  • Recovery Strategies: Recovery strategies describe how you resume operations to produce a minimum acceptable level of service. The recovery plan includes actions to stand up temporary processes. The plan also describes the longer-term efforts, such as relocation, data restoration, temporary workaround processes, or outsourcing tasks. Recovery strategies are not limited to IT and data recovery.

Quick-Start Guide Business Continuity Plan Template

Business Continuity Quick Start Guide and template

If you don’t already have a business continuity plan in place, but need to create one in short order to respond to a disruption, use this quick-start business continuity template. This template is available in Word and Google Docs formats, and it’s simply formatted so that you can focus on brainstorming and problem-solving. 

Download Quick-Start Guide Business Continuity Plan Template

Word | PDF | Google Docs | Smartsheet

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

Key Components of a Business Continuity Plan

Your company’s complete business continuity plan will have many details. Your plan may differ from other companies' plans based on industry and other factors. Each facility or business unit may also conduct an impact analysis and create disaster recovery and continuity plans . Consider adding these key components to your business plan:

  • Contact Information: These pages include contact information for key employees, vendors, and critical third parties. Locate this information at the beginning of the plan. 
  • Business Impact Analysis: When you conduct business impact analysis (BIA), you evaluate the financial and other changes in a disruptive event (you can use one of these business impact templates to get started). Evaluate impact in terms of brand damage, product failure or malfunction, lost revenue, or legal and regulatory repercussions.
  • Risk Assessment: In this section, assess the potential risks to all aspects of the organization’s operations. Look at potential risks related to such matters as cash on hand, stock levels, and staff qualifications. Although you may face an infinite number of potential internal and external risks, focus on people, places, and things to keep from becoming overwhelmed. Then analyze the effects of any items that are completely lost or need repairs. Also, understand that risk assessment is an ongoing effort that works in tandem with training and testing. Consider adding a completed risk matrix to your plan. You can create one using a downloadable risk matrix template . 
  • Critical Functions Analysis and List: As a faster alternative to a BIA, a critical functions analysis reveals what processes are critical to keeping your company running. Examples of critical functions include payroll and wages, accounts receivable, customer service, or production. According to Michele Barry, with a values-based approach to critical functions, you should consider who you really are as a company. Then decide what you must continue doing and what you can stop doing. 
  • Trigger and Disaster Declaration Criteria: Here, you should detail how your executive management will know when to declare an emergency and initiate the plan.
  • Succession Plan: Identify alternate staff for key roles in each unit. Schedule time throughout the year to observe alternates as they make important decisions and complete recovery tasks.
  • Alternate Suppliers: If your goods are regulated (i.e., food, toy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing), your raw resources and parts must always be up to standard. Source suppliers before a crisis to ensure that regulatory vetting and approval do not delay supplies. 
  • Operations Plan: Describe how your organization will resume and continue daily operations after a disruption. Include a checklist with such items as supplies, equipment, and information on where data is backed up and where you keep the plan. Note who should have copies of the plan. 
  • Crisis Communication Strategy: Detail how the organization will communicate with employees, customers, and third-party entities in the event of a disruption. If regular communications systems are disabled, make a plan for alternate methods. Download a free crisis communication strategy template to get started on this aspect. 
  • Incident Response Plan: Describe how your organization plans to respond to a range of likely incidents or disruptions, and define the triggers for activating the plan. 
  • Alternate Site Relocation: The alternate site is the location that the organization moves to after a disruption occurs. In the plan, you can also note the transportation and resources required to move the business and the processes you must maintain in this facility.
  • Interim Procedures: These are the critical processes that must continue, either in their original or alternate forms.
  • Restoration of Critical Data: Critical data includes anything you must immediately recover to maintain normal business functions.
  • Vendor Partner Agreements: List your organization’s key vendors and how they can help you maintain or resume operations.
  • Work Backlog: This includes the work that piles up when systems are shut down. You must complete this work first when processes start again.
  • Recovery Strategy for IT Services: This section details the steps you take to restore the IT processes that are necessary to maintain the business.
  • Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO): RTO refers to the maximum amount of time that a company can stop its processes and the length of time without access to data before productivity substantially drops. Determine RTOs for each unit, factoring in people, places, and things. 
  • Backup Plans: What if plans, processes, or resources fail or are unavailable? Determine alternatives now, so you don't have to scramble. Decide on a backup roster for personnel who are unavailable.
  • Manual Workarounds: This section details how a business can operate by hand, should all failsafe measures break down.
  • External Audit Details: For regulated organizations, external audits may be compulsory. Your scheduled internal audits will prepare you for external audits.
  • Test and Exercise Plan: Identify how and when you will test the continuity plan, including details about periodic tabletop testing and more complex real-world scenario testing.
  • Change Management: Note how you will incorporate learnings from tests and exercises, disseminate changes, and review the plan and track changes.

Key Resources for Business Continuity

To fix problems, restore operations, or submit an insurance claim, you need readily available details of the human resources and other groups that can assist with business continuity. (Your organization's unique situation may also require specific types of resources.) Add this information to appendices at the back of your continuity plan.

Fullick suggests broadening the definition of human assets. "People are our employees, certainly. But we forget that the term ‘people’ includes executive management. Management doesn't escape pandemics or the flu or a car crash. Bad things can happen to them and around them, too." 

Use the following list as a prompt for recording important information about your organization. Your unique situation may require other types of information.

  • Lists of key employees and their contact information. Also, think beyond C-level and response team members to staff with long-term or specialized knowledge
  • Disaster recovery and continuity team contact names, roles, and contact information
  • Emergency contact number for police and emergency services for your location
  • Non-emergency contact information for police and medical
  • Emergency and non-emergency contact numbers for facilities issues
  • Board member contact information
  • Personnel roster, including family or emergency contact names and numbers for the entire organization
  • Contractors for any repairs
  • Client contact information and SLAs
  • Insurance contacts for all plans
  • Key regulatory contacts.
  • Legal contacts
  • Vendor contact information and partner agreements and SLAs
  • Addresses and details for each office or facility
  • Primary and secondary contact and information for each facility or office, including at least one phone number and email address
  • Off-site recovery location
  • Addresses and access information for storage facilities or vehicle compounds
  • Funding and banking information
  • IT details and data recovery information, including an inventory of apps and license numbers  
  • Insurance policy numbers and agent contact information for each plan, healthcare, property, vehicle, etc.
  • Inventory of tangibles, including equipment, hardware, supplies, fixtures, and fittings (if you are a supplier or manufacturer, include an inventory of raw materials and finished goods)
  • Lease details
  • Licenses, permits, other legal documents
  • List of special items that you use regularly, but don't order frequently
  • Location of backup equipment
  • Utility account numbers and contact information (for electric, gas, telephone, water, waste pickup, etc.)

Activities to Complete Before Writing the Business Continuity Plan

Before you write your plan, take these preliminary steps to assemble a team and gather background information. 

  • Incident Commander: This person is responsible for all aspects of an emergency response.
  • Emergency Response Team: The emergency response team refers to the group of people in charge of responding to an emergency or disruption.
  • Information Technology Recovery Team: This group is responsible for recovering important IT services.
  • Alternate Site/Location Operation Team: This team is responsible for maintaining business operations at an alternate site.
  • Facilities Management Team: The facilities management team is responsible for managing all of the main business facilities and determining the necessary responses to maintain them in light of a disaster or disruption.
  • Department Upper Management: This includes key stakeholders and upper management employees who govern BCP decisions.
  • Conduct business impact analysis or critical function analysis. Understand how the loss of processes in each department can affect internal and external operations. See our article on business continuity planning to learn more about BIAs.
  • Conduct risk analysis. Determine the potential risks and threats to your organization.
  • Identify the scope of the plan. Define where the business continuity plan applies, whether to one office, the entire organization, or only certain aspects of the organization. Use the BIA and risk analysis to identify critical functions and key resources that you must maintain. Set goals to determine the level of detail required. Set milestones to track progress in completing the plan. "Setting scope is essential," Barry insists. "You need to define the core and noncore aspects of the business and the minimum requirements for achieving continuity."
  • Strategize recovery approaches: Strategize how your business should respond to a disruption, based on your risk assessment and BIA. During this process, you determine the core details of the BCP, add the key components and resources, and determine the timing for what must happen before, during, and after a disruptive event.

Common Structure of a Business Continuity Plan

Knowing the common structure should help shape the plan — and frees you from thinking about form when you should be thinking about content. Here is an example of a BCP format:

  • Business Name: Record the business name, which usually appears on the title page.
  • Date: The day the BCP is completed and signed off. 
  • Purpose and Scope: This section describes the reason for and span of the plan.
  • Business Impact Analysis: Add the results of the BIA to your plan.  
  • Risk Assessment: Consider adding the risk assessment matrix to your plan.
  • Policy Information: Include the business continuity policy or policy highlights.
  • Emergency Management and Response: You can detail emergency response measures separately from other recovery and continuity procedures.
  • The Plan: The core of the plan details step-by-step procedures for business recovery and continuity.
  • Relevant Appendices: Appendices can include such information as contact lists, org charts, copies of insurance policies, or any supporting documents relevant in a crisis.

Keep in mind that every business is different — no two BCPs look the same. Tailor your business continuity plan to your company, and make sure the document captures all the information you need to keep your business functioning. Having everything you need to know in an emergency is the most crucial part of a BCP.

Disruptive Incident Quick-Reference Card Template

Disruptive Incident Quick Reference Cad Template

Use this quick-reference card template to write the key steps that employees should take in case of an emergency. Customize this template for each business unit, department, or role. Describe what people should do immediately and in the following days and weeks to continue the business. Print PDFs and laminate them for workstations or wallets, or load the PDFs on your mobile phone. 

Download Disruptive Incident Quick-Reference Card Template 

Expert Disaster Preparation Checklist

Business continuity and disaster planning aren’t just about your buildings and cloud backup — it’s about people and their families. Based on a document by Mike Semel of Semel Consulting, this disaster checklist helps you prepare for the human needs of your staff and their families, including food, shelter, and other comforts.

Tips for Writing a Business Continuity Plan

With its many moving parts and considerations, a business continuity plan can seem intimidating. Follow these tips to help you write, track, and maintain a strong BCP:

  • Take the continuity management planning  process seriously.
  • Interview key people in the organization who have successfully managed disruptive incidents.
  • Get approval from leadership early on and seek their ongoing championship of continuity preparedness.
  • Be flexible when it comes to who you involve, what resources you need, and how you achieve the most effective plan.
  • Keep the plan as simple and targeted as possible to make it easy to understand.
  • Limit the plan to practical disaster response actions.
  • Base the plan on the most up-to-date, accurate information available.
  • Plan for the worst-case scenario and broadly cover many types of potential disruptive situations. 
  • Consider the minimum amount of information or resources you need to keep your business running in a disaster. 
  • Use the data you gather in your BIA and risk analysis to make the planning process more straightforward.
  • Share the plan and make sure employees have a chance to review it or ask questions. 
  • Make the document available in hard copy for easy access, or add it to a shared platform. 
  • Continually test, review, and maintain your plan to keep it up to date. 
  • Keep the BCP current with organizational and regulatory changes and updates.

Empower Your Teams to Build Business Continuity with Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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business continuity plan scenarios

Scenario planning for future disruptions

The 1 minute dialogue.

  • Covid-19 has exposed many companies’ supply change resilience and weaknesses in business continuity management
  • The pandemic has added to existing climate, reputational and compliance pressures to rethink increasingly complex supply chains
  • Scenario-based continuity planning critically examines the company’s own set-up and supply change resiliency
  • Increased resilience of supply chains will help with insurability of supply chain exposures and help businesses react faster to market trends

Which actions are your company taking in order to de-risk supply chains and make them more resilient in the face of the pandemic risk?

business continuity plan scenarios

According to the  Allianz Risk Barometer 2021 , which surveys more than 2,700 risk management experts about their top corporate concerns, ‘initiating or improving BCM’ (62%) is the main action companies are now taking in order to de-risk their supply chains and make them more resilient in the face of the global pandemic. This is followed by ‘developing/alternative multiple suppliers’ (45%), ‘investing in digital supply chains’ (32%), ‘intensifying supplier selection, auditing and risk assessment’ (31%) and ‘inventory/safety stock management’ (17%).

There are not many positives to take from the pandemic but a growing realization that the impact of globalization needs to be better managed and more resilient supply chains need to be built is to be welcomed. Many companies have found that their contingency plans were overwhelmed by the rapid pace of the pandemic and changes in public health measures over the past year.

“One of the main property business interruption lessons from the pandemic is the importance of an up-to date BCP, including having alternative suppliers available for raw and intermediate materials,” says Thomas Varney, Regional Head of Risk Consulting North America, at AGCS . “Supply chains have been significantly impacted in many industries, resulting from manufacturing plants having to shut down.”

The extent to which some supply chains came under pressure during the Covid-19 pandemic is illustrated by a situation recently faced by automotive manufacturers. Due to a lack of semiconductors, many car makers were threatened with production stoppages, delays in deliveries and measures such as shorter working hours. There were no short-term supply alternatives. Many manufacturers had to cut production, delivering a further blow to an already hard-hit sector.

“The best way for businesses to approach these types of situations is through BCP scenario planning that challenges working environments and supply chains under various eventualities,” says Varney. “Moving forward, a pandemic scenario should be added to a company’s planning. The ability to understand and proactively handle potential business impact scenarios is better resolved when the crisis is not directly upon the business.”

In future, businesses will need to consider more and better scenarios in order to prepare for future disruptions. Identifying and understanding potential triggering events is a significant challenge, but the central key to survival is quick response times. The problem isn’t just traditional risks like fire or flood, but increasingly important intangible risks – something Covid-19 has uncovered.

“What is clear is that the insurance industry cannot take away all the challenges companies face, but we can work with customers to identify, comprehend and mitigate risks in the supply chain,” says Varney.  “AGCS’ global network of risk experts can review a company’s basic risk awareness and management, compare risk management systems of different companies and identify approaches for further development. Scenario planning should be constantly updated and tested, so it can be applied when needed. It must be cross-functional and integrated into a company’s risk management and strategic processes for it to be effective.”

The pandemic’s impact on business-as-usual will be felt for a long time. It forced companies to depend on new or increased digital approaches, as travel and face-to-face interaction was discouraged and remote working increased proportionally – a 2020 Deloitte survey found that 48% of respondents had been forced into at-home working due to the pandemic [1]. However, new working scenarios also bring the potential for new disruption scenarios. The move toward digital dependence and remote working has exacerbated cyber and business interruption vulnerabilities from threats such as system failures, phishing, compromised emails and the rising number of ransomware attacks. For example, on average, a ransomware attack can result in 16 days of downtime. Maintaining secure backups can significantly reduce losses but a dedicated BCP outlining what a company needs to do in the event of a ransomware attack to minimize disruption could prove invaluable.

What makes a good BCP?

business continuity plan scenarios

  • Scenario-based planning critically examines the company’s own set-up and the resilience of its supply chains. The BCP, which should have top management buy-in, is a holistic approach that considers essential operations, critical equipment, key personnel, functional vulnerabilities, supply chain exposures, and proposed solutions. An effective BCP will involve key personnel from each critical function area, heads of departments and site managers. Employees, as well as managers, should facilitate, understand and take ownership, where possible, of the planning process and implementation.
  • BCPs should be well-documented in order to satisfy audit requirements and should consist of four key steps:
  • conducting a business impact analysis (BIA) that predicts the consequences of disruption to a business function and process
  • assessing risks by defining likely threats or vulnerabilities and their business impacts
  • establishing recovery point objectives (RPOs) which describe up to what point in time the business process’ recovery can proceed
  • establishing recovery time objectives (RTOs) which define how much time it takes to recover after the notification of the business process disruption; and the exercising and maintenance time required to test the plan against different scenarios and make adjustments.

Vulnerabilities could include the facility itself, unique equipment, bottlenecks, logistics, warehousing and inventory needs, manufacturing capabilities and capacities, purchasing restrictions, contractual obligations, supplier shortages, and IT system failure, among many other things. These would be spelled out in the overall BCP, which includes several individual plans governing different sub-areas within the organization.

Developing emergency plans is vital. Companies should account for employees and family members and  plans should include clear lines of communication and detailed guidelines for actions at all levels of staff, pre- and post-incident. Plans need to be constantly updated and tested, including having alternative suppliers available. They need to be cross functional and integrated into an organization’s risk management and strategic processes.

business continuity plan scenarios

De-risking supply chains

The pandemic has added to existing climate, reputational and compliance pressures to rethink supply chains which have become increasingly global and complex. Over the last four decades, a large part of the world’s production has been organized in global value chains with a high degree of division of labor. Raw materials and intermediate products from different countries are shipped around the globe for processing and then assembled at another location. The finished products are in turn exported to end-users in both industrialized and developing countries. In recent years, insurers have experienced a significant increase in the severity of business interruption claims, particularly in the automotive, electronics and manufacturing sectors, where reduced stock levels and increased reliance on fewer suppliers have driven up the costs associated with fires and natural catastrophes.

During the first lockdown, companies around the world were affected by restrictions and temporary closure of operations. There was a flurry of assembly line shutdowns in the automotive industry. As a result of plant closures, the pandemic presented global corporations with the major challenge of getting hundreds of supply links back on track. This was the most difficult task for production planners in the spring of 2020. And the concern about renewed shutdowns is driving the boards of many companies.

“Companies increasingly understand that more resilient supply chains need to be built. This is a development that we as industrial insurers and risk consultants can only welcome,” says Varney. “And one that we have been discussing with our customers in risk dialogues for years.”

“In reaction to the pandemic we are seeing clients make changes including near-shoring (bringing production to a nearby country) and some re-shoring and changing the locations of supplies, particularly for US companies. Companies are increasingly thinking about the consequences of events like natural catastrophes and civil unrest, and how quickly they will be able to find alternative suppliers,” says Philip Beblo, Global Practice Group Leader Utilities & Services, IT Communication at AGCS.

“Clients are looking to de-risk their supply chains to achieve operational resilience. Covid-19 shows just how vulnerable global supply chains have become and highlights how the most agile companies and those that were quickest to react to the pandemic were those that had an adaptive and embedded risk management approach,” adds Beblo.

Post-pandemic, a lot of work remains to be done on business continuity and business resilience. In order to manage the risks and develop solutions, businesses will need to collect data, utilize analytics, and then consider what is insurable. Risk management today is very good at insurable risks, but could do better when it comes to non-insurable risks, like intangible assets, supply chains and reputation.

“However, increased resilience of supply chains will not only help with insurability of supply chain exposures, it will also help businesses react faster to market trends,” concludes Georgi Pachov, Head of  Portfolio Steering And Pricing at AGCS . “It’s not just about limiting insurance claims, more resilient supply chains should translate to more successful companies.”

[1] The Independent, There‘s no place for vaccine nationalism in the fight to end the pandemic, January 25, 2021 [2] Mercer, Business responses to the Covid-19 outbreak: Survey findings, 2020 [3] Deloitte, Cyber-crime – the risks of working from home, 2020

Title photo: iStock.

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BCP Test Scenarios

Is the topic of BCP testing of interest right now? We have developed  a free Business Continuity Plan Testing training course to help you to develop and deliver a professional BCP test for your organisation

BCP test scenarios

Considering  the development  of a BCP test? Our Business Continuity Plan Testing Templates   will help you to plan & deliver a professional BCP Test. It provides all of the resources you will need to develop and evaluate a Business Continuity Plan test - including timeline templates for many of the scenarios discussed below

The purpose of basing a BCP test on a specific scenario is to create an element of realism by simulating a threat scenario that could significantly affect the organisation. Simulations introduce a realistic stress level so that plans and delegates are challenged in a robust and meaningful way.

A scenario can be thought of as a root cause - the event that created the impact on our organisation, and which resulted in an operational impairment on people, processes and things that is significant enough to warrant invoking incident management and business continuity plans. So when considering a BCP test scenario we need to make sure that it adds realism and relevance to the BCP test.

To do this we need to consider two things: what the precise BCP test scenario is and what impact it will have.  The  impact of the chosen scenario will have a significant bearing on the usefulness of the test: if the impact is too small, then the BCP test will become a “near miss” and will not require the business continuity plan to be invoked. An excessively large impact could become overwhelming – meaning that the BCP test is halted because the planned impact creates a “meltdown” that cannot be managed.

Below we provide a list of scenarios categorised by the impact they can create:

BCP test scenarios that can be used to support BCP tests where the primary impact is loss of access to buildings or workplace:

Power failure

Road closure

Bomb / bomb scare

Water services outage or infection

Terror Attack

Structural damage to buildings (caused by weather or accidental damage)

BCP test scenarios that can be used to support BCP tests where people are the primary impact

Contagious illness

Transport outage

BCP test scenarios that can be used to support BCP tests where critical infrastructure is the main impact

Power failures

Hardware failure

Cyber attack

Critical application failures

External telecoms failures

Of course, some of these scenarios can impact more than one thing – a flood can not only damage or deny access to the workplace it could affect IT systems and external networks. These considerations will be part of the BCP test objectives and the BCP test plan . 

That covers BCP Test scenarios - continue to read more about other aspects of  BCP testing

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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.

Professional Meeting: Senior Businesswoman and Colleague in Discussion

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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Business Continuity Planning

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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.

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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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Business Continuity Plan Scenario-based Exercise

Understand major business continuity scenarios and how you might effectively respond with a Business Continuity Plan Scenario-based Exercise

Determining whether your organisation is disaster-ready goes beyond ensuring your Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is current. Conducting a scenario-based exercise is an opportunity to test your organisation’s existing capabilities to respond to an interruption and ensure that your BCP is sound. It is also an opportunity to:

  • Test your response team’s ability and confidence to execute their roles 
  • Validate any processes and resources that will be required 
  • Build overall confidence and resilience in the face of unexpected challenges 
  • Reveal any shortcomings and implement any required improvements

What's involved?

The scenario-based exercise is a facilitated 2 ½-hour session where participants are given the opportunity to rehearse their roles as per your BCP and organisation structure.

The session includes:

  • A brief introduction outlining the purpose of the exercise 
  • An introduction to the scenario 
  • A guided role play involving the participants to manage the event as presented 
  • Post-scenario discussion on performance and opportunity to identify any improvements

Pre-session requirements are: 

  • Copy of existing BCP 
  • Copy of organisational structure 

Who should participate?

Representatives of your organisation’s designated BCP Response Team

  • Risk and Insurance Managers 
  • Relevant Operation managers It is also recommended to have a minute/note taker during the session to capture any observations or findings from the role play. 

How it is delivered

Business Continuity Plan Scenario-Based Exercise is a facilitated two and a half hour session. Participants are expected to role play. The more realistic the participation, the better the outcome.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Business Continuity Plan FAQs

The Bottom Line

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

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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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7 Business Continuity Plan Examples

By Danesh Ramuthi , Nov 28, 2023

Business Continuity Plan Examples

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.

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.

Business Consultant Continuity Plan Template

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. 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 and Disaster Recovery Plan Template

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.

Business Continuity Plan Template

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. They should then work on identifying the breach’s source and extent. 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 firm for an independent investigation and recovery assistance.

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.

Business Continuity Plan Templates

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.

Business Continuity Plan Template

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.

Business Continuity Planning Templates

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:

Business Continuity And Disaster Recovery Plan Template

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. 

Business Continuity Exercises & 6 Scenarios

Published on December 01, 2023

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Everything you need to know about business continuity, straight to your inbox.

Global pandemics, once-in-a-generation levels of industrial action, and increasing severe weather – let’s face it, we’ve all been put through the wringer the past few years. More than ever, businesses realise they have to have a plan for anything and everything.

But how do you create that plan? And how should you test it? Our guide outlines how your company can develop a strong business continuity plan and be prepared for (almost!) anything.

Let’s get to it.

business continuity exercise planning

What is Business Continuity?

Business continuity refers to the practices and plans an organisation has in place in the event of an emergency. Sometimes, those plans are for small emergencies (like a brief power outage or internet failure), and sometimes, they’re for major ones (like a terrorist attack or a flood).

No matter how large or small your business is, business continuity should always be a top priority. A plan needs to be intelligible to the people who have to enact it. After all, what if an emergency keeps your key personnel away from the office?

Many companies hire consultants or use BCMS software to stay on top of business continuity plans. It’s worth a look into, especially if you’re a growing business.

Types of Business Continuity Exercises

A business continuity exercise is designed to put your emergency communication plan to the test. Don’t be shy about rigorous exercises – your goal is to find holes in your plan so you can correct them before the real thing happens.

You can sort exercises into three main piles – they mainly vary in how realistic they are (and how much time and effort they require).

Plan Review

A plan review is exactly what it sounds like – relevant stakeholders go through your whole business continuity team and plans line by line. You may also invite comments from lower-level employees on various teams. After all, they may see flaws that the higher-ups do not.

A plan review is the least costly in terms of time and energy. You can also spool out the process over several meetings, making it much easier to schedule.

It’s also easier to invite comments from a larger range of stakeholders. You can’t put 1,000 employees in a conference room for a tabletop test, but you can ask for ideas of where your plan is lacking.

Going through a plan in a meeting is about as far from real-world conditions as you can get. Some insights might be lacking if you’re not under the stress of a real or imagined emergency.

Reviews can also be subject to a certain amount of groupthink. An employee might not want to be the one person who raises an issue.

business continuity exercise meeting

Tabletop Test

A tabletop test gets one step closer to real. Participants meet to run through tabletop exercises based on real-life scenarios. Tabletop tests allow you to work through potential problems in a situation with a little more pressure and stress.

For instance, you might role-play how to handle a ransomware attack. At various intervals, the facilitator will announce a further wrinkle in the situation – like the hackers have started releasing information and harming customers.

Tabletop tests can provide a more realistic setting to think through problems, and they do this without tying up too many of an organisation’s resources. These tests can also give bosses some good insight into how employees work together under pressure.

A tabletop exercise needs to be done right. You need buy-in from both participants and bosses; an exercise works best when people really get into their roles.

You also need plenty of time, 2 hours as an absolute bare minimum. You want space to let the exercise play out, as well as time afterwards for discussion.

Simulation Test

A simulation test is about as close as you can get to an actual disruptive event. And you’re probably more familiar with these tests than you think. If your organisation has done a fire drill, you’ve already done a small-scale simulation test.

You can run just about anything as a simulation test. For instance, if you’re preparing for a flood that knocks out your computer system, you could test whether employees can find and work from backup data.

Simulation tasks are the closest analogue to an actual emergency. Instead of sitting around a table, employees are at their workstations.

This allows you to see more practical issues. In a fire drill, do most businesses and employees know where the emergency exit is? If you’re testing a telecoms outage, do employees know where others are physically seated?

Simulations can cost a lot of time and resources. After all, you’re asking people to put aside their normal work.

Because simulations are more realistic, they may bring up issues for some employees that make it difficult for them to participate. This is especially true if you’re simulating a natural disaster or workplace violence.

business continuity exercise C2

One of the keys to a good tabletop or simulated business continuity exercise is making it specific to your industry and your organisation. Take some time to flesh out a relevant scenario before testing it out.

1. Data Loss & Recovery

Imagine that a large amount of critical data has been destroyed or is inaccessible. This could be the result of a ransomware attack or just a data centre outage.

Nonetheless, you have to get access to your backup data. Who do your employees need to contact? Do they need to work with an outside vendor?

This scenario can also test your priorities for restoring data – does it make sense to do the financial info first, or is customer data more important? And what if this data loss happens while the IT guy is on holiday – can other employees handle it?

You can also get your customer service and communications teams involved to test what the message will be to your customers and press.

2. Power/Network Outage

Imagine that a huge storm has caused power loss at your main office. The utility says they can’t get electricity restored for a few days. Your team has a lot of decisions to make.

Some of the things your business continuity exercise should discuss are:

  • Should employees work remotely or come into the office? What if the power outage affects employees’ homes?
  • Should some business functions be run off generators? How do you get those, and where do you place them?
  • Do you have a backup office location that has power?
  • If the outage is long enough, how will your employees get their salary?

3. Software/Application Failure

What if the application all of your employees use fails? What if a major software program you’re running from the cloud crashes? Not only will you have work piling up, but you’ll also have dozens of employees who have absolutely nothing to do.

  • You should perform regular stress tests on your main applications to make sure they can handle what you need from them. And you should know the conditions most likely to cause application failure.
  • You should also know how to get a failed application up and running again.
  • Managers should also (if possible) identify tasks their employees can do in case of software or network failure.

4. Public Health Crisis

We may have just emerged from one public health crisis, but many businesses say another one could be just around the corner. No business wants a repeat of the chaos of March-April 2020.

So, can your organisation shift to mostly remote work at the drop of a hat? Can your employees access everything they need from a laptop at home?

Moreover, you need to determine a plan for the event that a large chunk of your employees are out sick. Are employees cross-trained? What can you do with a skeleton crew?

5. Natural Disasters & Terrorism

Under UK law, your business has to have at least one fire drill a year. But fires aren’t the only on-site risk for a company. Your employees could also be affected by storms, gas leaks, or on-site violence.

Employees should know the protocol for every emergency. When do they evacuate, and when do they shelter in place?

You should also have a plan for what happens afterwards. How will things run if working from the building isn’t possible?

6. Industrial Action

If you have unionised employees working under you, there is always the chance of industrial action. Thankfully, the process of negotiations and strike votes means that employers have some advance notice.

Still, you want to ensure business continuity with plans in place for strikes, especially if they go on for a long time. How will you prioritise tasks with fewer employees? Are employees who remain cross-trained and capable of temporarily doing other tasks?

business continuity exercise planning C2

A business continuity planning exercise doesn’t mean anything unless you learn from it. You should provide ample time for discussion afterwards to see what went right and what went wrong.

Then, you should go back to your business continuity plan and make edits and additions based on your findings. Ideally, you’d run another test with your modified plan, too. Things change and evolve, and the only way for you to keep your plan relevant is to test it regularly.

Keeping Your Computer Systems Safe

If you’ve run some business continuity planning exercises and you need some help with your business continuity plan, we’ve got you covered. Whether you need data management, plan distribution, or audits, C2 Meridian puts it all into one handy and easy-to-read dashboard.

Book a demo today to see how our BCMS can help you streamline your business continuity efforts.

Written by Donna Maclellan

Lead Risk and Resilience Analyst at Continuity2

With a first-class honours degree in Risk Management from Glasgow Caledonian University, Donna has adopted a proactive approach to problem-solving to help safeguard clients' best interests for over 5 years. From identifying potential risks to implementing appropriate management measures, Donna ensures clients can recover and thrive in the face of challenges.

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Business continuity planning (bcp), what is business continuity.

In an IT context, business continuity is the capability of your enterprise to stay online and deliver products and services during disruptive events, such as natural disasters, cyberattacks and communication failures.

The core of this concept is the business continuity plan — a defined strategy that includes every facet of your organization and details procedures for maintaining business availability.

Start with a business continuity plan

Business continuity management starts with planning how to maintain your critical functions (e.g., IT, sales and support) during and after a disruption.

A business continuity plan (BCP) should comprise the following element

1. Threat Analysis

The identification of potential disruptions, along with potential damage they can cause to affected resources. Examples include:

2. Role assignment

Every organization needs a well-defined chain of command and substitute plan to deal with absence of staff in a crisis scenario. Employees must be cross-trained on their responsibilities so as to be able to fill in for one another.

Internal departments (e.g., marketing, IT, human resources) should be broken down into teams based on their skills and responsibilities. Team leaders can then assign roles and duties to individuals according to your organization’s threat analysis.

3. Communications

A communications strategy details how information is disseminated immediately following and during a disruptive event, as well as after it has been resolved.

Your strategy should include:

  • Methods of communication (e.g., phone, email, text messages)
  • Established points of contact (e.g., managers, team leaders, human resources) responsible for communicating with employees
  • Means of contacting employee family members, media, government regulators, etc.

From electrical power to communications and data, every critical business component must have an adequate backup plan that includes:

  • Data backups to be stored in different locations. This prevents the destruction of both the original and backup copies at the same time. If necessary, offline copies should be kept as well.
  • Backup power sources, such as generators and inverters that are provisioned to deal with power outages.
  • Backup communications (e.g., mobile phones and text messaging to replace land lines) and backup services (e.g., cloud email services to replace on-premise servers).

Load balancing business continuity

Load balancing  maintains business continuity by distributing incoming requests across multiple backend servers in your data center. This provides redundancy in the event of a server failure, ensuring continuous application uptime.

In contrast to the reactive measures used in failover and  disaster recovery  (described below) load balancing is a preventative measure.  Health monitoring  tracks server availability, ensuring accurate load distribution at all times—including during disruptive events.

Disaster recovery plan (DCP) – Your second line of defense

Even the most carefully thought out business continuity plan is never completely foolproof. Despite your best efforts, some disasters simply cannot be mitigated. A disaster recovery plan (DCP) is a second line of defense that enables you to bounce back from the worst disruptions with minimal damage.

As the name implies, a disaster recovery plan deals with the restoration of operations after a major disruption. It’s defined by two factors: RTO and  RPO .

disaster recovery plan

  • Recovery time objective (RTO)  – The acceptable downtime for critical functions and components, i.e., the maximum time it should take to restore services. A different RTO should be assigned to each of your business components according to their importance (e.g., ten minutes for network servers, an hour for phone systems).
  • Recovery point objective (RPO)  – The point to which your state of operations must be restored following a disruption. In relation to backup data, this is the oldest age and level of staleness it can have. For example, network servers updated hourly should have a maximum RPO of 59 minutes to avoid data loss.

Deciding on specific RTOs and RPOs helps clearly show the technical solutions needed to achieve your recovery goals. In most cases the decision is going to boil down to choosing the right failover solution.

See how Imperva Load Balancer can help you with business continuity planning.

Choosing the right failover solutions

Failover  is the switching between primary and backup systems in the event of failure, outage or downtime. It’s the key component of your disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

A failover system should address both RTO and RPO goals by keeping backup infrastructure and data at the ready. Ideally, your failover solution should seamlessly kick in to insulate end users from any service degradation.

When choosing a solution, the two most important aspects to consider are its technological prowess and its service level agreement (SLA). The latter is often a reflection of the former.

For an IT organization charged with the business continuity of a website or web application, there are three failover options:

  • Hardware solutions  – A separate set of servers, set up and maintained internally, are kept on-premise to come online in the event of failure. However, note that keeping such servers at the same location makes them potentially susceptible to being taken down by the same disaster/disturbance.
  • DNS services  – DNS services are often used in conjunction with hardware solutions to redirect traffic to a backup server(s) at an external data center. A downside of this setup includes  TTL-related delays  that can prevent seamless disaster recovery. Additionally, managing both DNS and internal data center hardware failover solutions is time consuming and complicated.
  • On-edge services  – On-edge failover is a managed solution operating from off-prem (e.g., from the  CDN  layer). Such solutions are more affordable and, most importantly, have no TTL reliance, resulting in near-instant failover that allows you to meet the most aggressive RTO goals.

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How to Train Your Team to Execute Your RIA Business Continuity Plan

H aving a well-prepared and trained team is critical for successfully executing a business continuity plan (BCP) when an unexpected disruption occurs. Proper training and preparedness ensures your RIA’s resilience, providing your firm with the ability to withstand major events and crises with minimal impact to operations and client services. 

This article will provide an in-depth overview of key considerations and best practices when training your RIA’s team on proper execution of your business continuity plan. We will examine the components of an effective RIA business continuity plan and the integral importance of thorough team training. We will also discuss methodologies for assessing team roles, developing a tailored training curriculum, and conducting immersive crisis simulation exercises. Additionally, we will explore approaches for honing communication and decision-making skills, implementing redundancy through cross-training, fostering strong leadership and coordination, and continually gathering feedback to improve plan execution.

By investing in comprehensive team preparedness, your RIA can feel confident in its ability to navigate any potential disruption, manage crisis effectively, and provide clients with continual quality service.

Understanding the RIA Business Continuity Plan (BCP) 

Your business continuity plan outlines the processes and procedures your firm will implement to deal with potential disruptions to operations, whether from natural disasters, technology failures, or other crises. An effective BCP identifies your RIA’s most critical business functions and assets, ensures resilience of key operations during times of crisis, and provides a roadmap to quickly recover and restore services for clients.

Thorough training on the BCP prepares your team members to carry out the plan seamlessly and effectively when implementation is required. Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and sequential response steps are crucial for smooth execution. Training also reinforces understanding of the plan’s purpose, objectives, and the importance of preparedness.

Assessing Team Roles and Responsibilities

A key step is comprehensively assessing and defining the specific roles and responsibilities for each team member involved in executing the BCP when a crisis hits. Identify the personnel that will be part of the response team and pinpoint which business functions they oversee. Determine the precise response and recovery duties of each role across areas like operations, technology, client services, reporting, facilities, human resources, etc. 

Ensure clarity, understanding, and coverage of all crucial response requirements outlined in the BCP. If gaps exist, assign cross-departmental backups for key processes. The assessment process reinforces robust role definition, enabling coordinated action during crises.

BCP Training Program Development

With roles defined, develop and implement a robust BCP training curriculum and program for your team. Outline the training content and required skills based on your plan components. Incorporate realistic crisis scenarios through case studies and examples relevant to your RIA. Develop simulated exercises across a wide range of potential disruptions, from cyber-attacks to weather events.

Leverage both your firm’s internal expertise and external resources as needed when designing training. Encourage interactive activities and role playing to engage trainees. Ensure assessments gauge comprehension and evaluate areas for improvement. Schedule periodic refresher training to maintain readiness. 

Conducting In-Depth Training Sessions 

BCP training sessions should be conducted frequently to keep team skills sharp. Vary simulated crisis scenarios across sessions to reinforce response capabilities for diverse situations. Foster engagement through immersive crisis simulation activities, evaluating and providing feedback on team performance. 

Include activities like role playing, group response coordination, independent scenario analysis, and crisis communication exercises. Assess comprehension through post-session tests. Use debriefs to identify areas for improvement and enhance future curriculum.

 Hands-on Simulations and Drills

Practical hands-on crisis simulations and drills are invaluable for cementing BCP execution skills and preparedness. Develop realistic simulations across the range of potential disruptions outlined in your plan. Conduct mock executions of procedures to test responsiveness across scenarios, assessing coordination and measuring response times. 

Evaluate simulation outcomes comprehensively, identifying areas where additional training may be needed to optimize preparedness. Apply learnings to improve future curriculum and exercises. Share results with team members to enhance company-wide readiness.

Communication and Decision-Making Training

During crisis situations, clear communication and quick, decisive decision-making capabilities are critical for proper BCP execution. Provide training exercises focused on honing these competencies through real-world case study analysis and role playing. 

Teach techniques for communicating urgent information clearly to both internal team members and external clients during chaos. Provide frameworks for rapid response prioritization and decision-making when reacting to dynamic scenarios. Gather feedback on areas for improvement.

 Documentation and Reporting Procedures

Meticulous documentation and reporting during crises is crucial for regulatory compliance and maintaining continuity of service. Train personnel on proper report creation, information gathering, record keeping, and data collection procedures as outlined in your BCP. 

Reinforce the importance of accurate and timely information sharing across the response team, leadership, clients and authorities. Evaluate comprehension of documentation requirements through testing.

Cross-Training for Redundancy

While each team member will have specialized BCP duties, cross-training across roles is vital to prepare for potential absences or unavailability of key personnel during a crisis. Ensure adequate redundancy in expertise across your BCP response team.

Conduct multi-role training exercises where team members fill in for counterparts on other tasks. Schedule rotations allowing personnel to shadow those in other roles. Maintaining robust redundancy ensures smooth BCP execution even if key members are unexpectedly unavailable.

 Leadership Guidance and Team Coordination

In times of crisis, strong leadership is integral to guide teams effectively, provide decisive vision, and foster coordinated action. Training exercises present opportunities for managers to practice leading response efforts. Evaluate leadership efficacy in debriefs.

Share examples of successful leadership and coordination during real-world BCP executions. Foster a culture of collaboration by having cross-functional teams train together. United readiness fortifies your RIA during turbulent times.

Continual Feedback and Improvement 

The most effective training programs gather regular feedback from participants to identify improvement areas. Survey team members after each exercise to capture enhancement opportunities while concepts are still fresh. Reassess capabilities across training dimensions like communication, decision-making, documentation, leadership, etc. 

Adapt and enhance the training curriculum to tackle evolving potential risks and new challenges. Ongoing improvement ensures your preparedness training remains optimally aligned to your RIA’s unique needs and crisis response objectives.

Training and preparation are indispensable for successfully executing a business continuity plan when disruptions strike. A resilient RIA invests in thoroughly training its team on BCP implementation through role clarity, tailored curriculum, hands-on simulations, and skill-building. Leverage regular feedback to drive continual enhancement. With comprehensive training, your empowered team can adeptly navigate any storm, managing crises smoothly while protecting client interests. Don’t leave readiness to chance – a prepared team means resilience.

Having a well-prepared and trained team is critical for successfully executing a business continuity plan (BCP) when an unexpected disruption occurs. Proper training and preparedness ensures your RIA’s resilience, providing your firm with the ability to withstand major events and crises with minimal impact to operations and client services.  This article will provide an in-depth overview of key considerations and best practices when training your RIA’s team on proper execution of your business continuity plan. We will examine the components of an effective RIA business continuity plan and the integral importance of thorough team training. We will also discuss methodologies

IMAGES

  1. Business Continuity Plan Template

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  2. Free Business Continuity Plan Templates

    business continuity plan scenarios

  3. How to create an effective business continuity plan?

    business continuity plan scenarios

  4. Building a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

    business continuity plan scenarios

  5. What is the primary goal of business continuity planning, and how to

    business continuity plan scenarios

  6. 7 Free Business Continuity Plan Templates

    business continuity plan scenarios

VIDEO

  1. Ready.gov

  2. Business Continuity Planning Basics

  3. Ready.gov

  4. Creating a Business Continuity Plan

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  6. What is a Business Continuity Plan? PM in Under 5

COMMENTS

  1. 7 Business Continuity Exercise Scenarios That You Need to ...

    Learn how to test your business continuity plan using seven common scenarios, such as cyberattacks, pandemics, physical disruptions, and natural disasters. Find out the importance of testing your plan and the types of tests to conduct. Get tips on how to prepare for different scenarios and communicate effectively.

  2. 6 Business Continuity Testing Scenarios

    Alert & Declare 877-364-9393 6 Scenarios for Business Continuity Plan Testing Blog Jun 29, 2022 Danya Strait Formulating a business continuity plan (BCP) is only half the battle. A solid BC strategy needs more than just a well-laid out theory, and business continuity plan testing can help you achieve optimal results.

  3. Can we break it? 9 business continuity plan testing scenarios

    Learn how to test your business continuity plan (BCP) and identify weaknesses, strengths and improvements. Explore 9 scenarios that can help you prepare for data loss, power outage, ransomware, fire, flood and more.

  4. 7 Real-Life Business Continuity Examples You'll Want to Read

    Business Continuity Examples: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 1) Ransomware disrupts Ireland's healthcare system For years, healthcare organizations have been a top target for ransomware attacks.

  5. PDF Crisis management and business continuity guide

    6 8 Introduction KPMG can support your organization: Crisis Management Program KPMG designs and delivers a series of independent cyber security simulations to test an organization's cyber incident response, business and board crisis management procedures when faced with a cyber focused disruption scenario. Business Continuity

  6. 5 Essential Scenarios for Testing Your Business Continuity Plan

    Learn how to test your business continuity plan (BCP) for five scenarios that are common and critical for your organization's resilience: data loss or breach, power outage, network outage, physical events, and emergency comms. Find out how to prepare your BCP for these scenarios and how often you should test it.

  7. 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.

  8. Business Continuity Plan: Example & How to Write

    Published 31 Jan 2024 Article by Jona Tarlengco | 13 min read 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.

  9. PDF Business continuity scenario exercises

    Business continuity scenario exercises can protect your business against disaster and disruption, helping prevent business failure and loss of revenue. According to ISO 22301, business continuity procedures must be exercised and tested regularly to ensure they are suitable, updated, and consistent with business continuity objectives.

  10. How to Write a Business Continuity Plan

    Here is an example of a BCP format: Business Name: Record the business name, which usually appears on the title page. Date: The day the BCP is completed and signed off. Purpose and Scope: This section describes the reason for and span of the plan. Business Impact Analysis: Add the results of the BIA to your plan.

  11. Comprehensive Guide to Business Continuity Testing

    What Is BCP Testing? Business continuity plan (BCP) testing is a method of looking into how prepared your employees are in an emergency. It is a risk-to-reality simulation in which employees and disaster recovery teams must work together to find a solution and recover lost data, personnel issues, communications technologies, or damaged property.

  12. Scenario planning for future disruptions

    March 24, 2021 The Covid-19 global pandemic highlights the importance of business continuity planning for current and future operational disruptions. Good continuity management learnings - robust planning and honest supply chain de-risk assessments - help businesses better adapt when the next event arrives.

  13. Business recovery and continuity: planning for multiple scenarios

    Business Recovery, Continuity: Planning For Multiple Scenarios - Insperity Business recovery and continuity: planning for multiple scenarios by Insperity Staff | Human Resource Advisor | Houston, Texas Strategy and planning | 10 minute read Has your business undergone a major disruption or setback recently?

  14. Different scenarios can be used in BCP tests

    The scenario introduces a level of focus and realism into the BCP test and helps to concentrate activities on proving specific aspects of the plan. top of page. RiskCentric. 0. ... Our Business Continuity Plan Testing Templates will help you to plan & deliver a professional BCP Test. It provides all of the resources you will need to develop and ...

  15. How to create an effective 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...

  16. Business Continuity Planning

    Español 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

  17. Business Continuity Plan Scenario-based Exercise

    The scenario-based exercise is a facilitated 2 ½-hour session where participants are given the opportunity to rehearse their roles as per your BCP and organisation structure. A guided role play involving the participants to manage the event as presented. Post-scenario discussion on performance and opportunity to identify any improvements.

  18. What Is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP), and How Does It Work?

    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...

  19. 7 Business Continuity Plan Examples

    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.

  20. Business continuity plan (BCP) in 8 steps, with templates

    Step 1: Establish an emergency preparedness team. Assign a team the responsibility for emergency preparedness. Select a few managers or an existing committee to take charge of the project. It's advisable to assign one person to lead the planning process.

  21. Business Continuity Exercises & 6 Scenarios

    Business Continuity Exercises & 6 Scenarios Jump to a section Everything you need to know about Business Continuity, straight to your inbox Global pandemics, once-in-a-generation levels of industrial action, and increasing severe weather - let's face it, we've all been put through the wringer the past few years.

  22. Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning (BCP & DRP)

    Start with a business continuity plan. Business continuity management starts with planning how to maintain your critical functions (e.g., IT, sales and support) during and after a disruption. ... Every organization needs a well-defined chain of command and substitute plan to deal with absence of staff in a crisis scenario. Employees must be ...

  23. How to Train Your Team to Execute Your RIA Business Continuity Plan

    Having a well-prepared and trained team is critical for successfully executing a business continuity plan (BCP) when an unexpected disruption occurs. Proper training and preparedness ensures your ...