Business Continuity Management

Business Continuity Management guidance for businesses within Sandwell to help them manage the risks that threaten the survival of their businesses

What is Business Continuity Management?

It is a process that can be applied to any business; micro, small, medium and large that will assist you manage the risks that threaten the survival of your business. The objective is to identify hazards that may affect the critical functions and activities of your business and to ensue that they can be reduced or responded to in an effective way.

Do you have a Business Continuity Plan? If the answer is No, then:

Would you take an important examination without preparing for it?
Would you leave your house unlocked and unattended and return home expecting it not to be burgled?
Would you cross a busy main road without looking either right or left or with your eyes closed?

If the answer is No, then why are you playing Russian roulette with your Business by not having a Business Continuity Plan?

Here are some facts:

Do you know that 80% of businesses affected by a major incident close within a month.
90% of businesses that lose data because of a disaster are forced to shut within 2 years.
58% of UK organisations were disrupted by September 11th. Of those disrupted 12% were seriously affected.
Nearly 1 in 5 businesses suffer a major disruption every year

As a result of the Buncefield Oil Storage Terminal explosion and subsequent fire, all 650 businesses near the facility that employ about 16,500 people were disrupted, some seriously.

20 businesses employing 500 people were destroyed and 60 premises employing 3500 people needed to be repaired.

Most businesses faced difficulties in delivering pre – incident levels of service from temporary accommodation, reduced trading and supply disruptions affected businesses over a wider area. Job loses in future could be significant, those with Business Continuity Plans in placed would have reduced their loses.

Be smart and compile a Business Continuity Plan, which will help your business survive in an emergency.

The following plan template will assist you in developing a simple Business Continuity Plan that will be invaluable if your business suffers an emergency.

The process as shown in the diagram above, is a continuing cycle or assessment in relation to risk and
risk reduction. The plan is the written process being applied to your business.

The aim of the plan is to prepare the business to cope with the affects of an emergency.

To define and prioritise the Critical Functions of the business.
To analyse the emergency risks to the business
To detail the agreed response to an emergency.
To identify key contacts during an emergency.

The Business Continuity Plan Template is now available for you to view.

The Business Continuity Management Process is a circular process; it is vital the planning does not end once the plan is written. It should be reviewed and tested regularly to ensure it remains up to date and effective.

We have produced a Business Continuity Leaflet that is now available for you to download. The leaflet gives examples about past incidents including The Buncefield Oil Depot, which exploded on Sunday 11th December 2005 and gives some facts about how businesses have been affected after an incident.

Further information and guidance:

Information on external risks to your business can be obtained from the Community Risk Register on the West
Midlands Fire Service website at: www.wmfs.net/home.xtml

Copies of the booklet are available and can be obtained from the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Emergency Planning Unit, Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury, West Midlands, B69 3DE. (Tel No: 0121 569 3988)

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