Starting a Business Continuity Programme

John Bartlett CBCI,DBCI

The benefits of implementing Business Continuity can be far reaching and although they are not always tangible, amongst other things they help reduce the exposure to risks, provide information for informed decisions and provide confidence to customers and stakeholders. Business Continuity Management (BCM) is about ensuring the essential services and activities can keep running or can be restarted following a disruption. After all, Insurance for incidents may provide a financial safety net, but it will not win back lost customers who go to your competitors; backups and alternative data centres are great for your systems and applications, but do not provide a location for your business to work, or a plan to recover your business activities. So how do we go about putting BCM in place?

 

BCM Programme management is central to the whole Business Continuity Lifecycle (as shown in the diagram below) and fundamental for successfully implementing Business Continuity as it defines, controls and manages the approach and its implementation; ensuring it achieves the desired objectives.

 

(Source: ISO 22313 - Societal security — Business continuity management systems — Guidance)

BCM Programme Management is established through 5 key components: 

An Introduction to Business Continuity by John Bartlett CBCI, DBCI

John Bartlett CBCI, DBCI

Business Continuity is the implementation and management of a set of business practices that provide on-going resilience and recovery capabilities for the essential activities and infrastructure to keep an organisation working and providing its necessary services.

 

This is not a new concept; Business Continuity was established in the late-80’s following on from the 1980’s technology boom, the development of IT Disaster Recovery practices and realisation that the business activities also needed to be recovered. Since its establishment, Business Continuity has achieved world-wide recognition as a core management activity for good corporate governance and risk management that complements, supports and enhances other business functions and helps to ensure informed, risk based decisions can be made.

 

When talking to Executives and Senior Managers in organisations, the reaction and comments I often receive (in Oman and other countries) are ones such as ‘These major events rarely happen’, ‘It’ll never happen to me’, ‘But we have a backup data centre’ or ‘That’s not my responsibility’. More often than not these comments emphasise a lack of understanding about Business Continuity and the role it plays in managing and protecting an organisation. Every Executive and Senior Manager in an organisation has a duty and responsibility to ensure risks are being managed appropriately and effectively. The question therefore, should not be ‘Will it happen to me’, but more ‘Have we considered and evaluated this risk properly,

Could this be you? Enter your BCI Regional Award Today and become an international BC Star!



BC Consultant of the Year 2012
Filip de Wolf FBCI



The BCI has started its ‘award season’ with great élan and enthusiasm and has added to its growing repertoire of BCI Regional Awards taking the headcount to six this year. 

Australasia and Europe have now joined their Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and North American counterparts in the BCI Global Awards Programme, which puts the international spotlight on BC achievements and talented BC professionals around the world.

If you don’t have a Regional Award to enter, dishearten not, you are still eligible to enter the BCI Global Awards that will be taking place on 6^th November 2013 as an integral part of BCM World Conference and Exhibition 2013 in London.  All winners of any Regional Award will automatically be entered into the BCI Global Awards, but there is nothing stopping you from entering both; nor are there any restrictions on the number of categories you can enter.

There are ten different award categories, including an Industry Personality of the Year Award, which is unique in that it is the only one that is decided by public vote as opposed to the other nine that are decided by the elected Judging Panel. The Judged Categories include:

·         Business Continuity Consultant of the Year

·         Business Continuity Manager of the Year

·         Public Sector Business Continuity Manager of the Year

·         Most Effective Recovery of the Year

·         BCM Newcomer of the Year

·         Business Continuity Team of the Year

·         Business Continuity Provider of the Year (BCM Service)

·         Business Continuity Provider of the Year (BCM Product)

·         Business Continuity Innovation of the Year (Product/Service)

 

Becoming a winner of a BCI Award is a great accolade and gives you international recognition for your hard-earned achievements in Business Continuity.  Being a BC Manager can often feel like being a very lone wolf in hostile territory and our Awards recognise the hard task you have in getting others to think like you and the challenges you face in embedding a successful BC culture into your or that of your client’s organization. 

The Awards are a perfect medium to demonstrate the value add good BC practice has had in organizations all around the world, no matter what industry or sector and they are a key tool to showcase the value-add professionals like you can make to the sustainability and resilience of the organizations you work in or for.  They also provide an excellent networking platform to bring together BC professionals from across regions and nations to share their experiences and to celebrate their victories together.

“Winning a BCI Award has the same gravitas and sense of being honoured at The Oscars, Winning an Olympic Gold or Lifting the World Cup.  It is humbling to be congratulated by friends and peers at the BCI.  It is a privilege to be singled out as "Best".  It is inspiring to be rewarded and is simply a great feeling to be recognised in a public vote.  It hasn't changed my life by making my jokes funnier but it has enhanced my life and of course, "Personality of the Year" has done my reputation the power of good."

Andy Tomkinson, MBCI and Director Adtapt Ltd

Winner of the BCI Global Awards Industry Personality of the Year 2012

“From a personal point of view, I consider these kinds of events to be a vital source in raising the profile of the business continuity profession and discipline in this region.

“I was thrilled to be shortlisted for the Business Continuity Manager of the Year Award category.  A dream came true when I saw my name besides the BCM heavyweights.   Being recognized for all the hard work in your career makes you feel that it was all worthwhile and leaves you feeling totally contented.”

Nisar Ahmed Khan MBCI, Kuwait International Bank
Winner of the BCI Middle East Awards Business Continuity Manager of the Year Award 2012

 “Associating with the BCI in any matter is always a privilege. It was a real honour to receive a BCI Merit (Global) Award 2012. For me personally, it meant a lot to have my work in the field recognised at global level. At the same time, I believe, it provides motivation to others to rise to the same levels. This achievement makes me recommit to the purpose of BCI i.e. promoting the art and science of Business Continuity.”

Daman Dev Sood, MBCI, CIO & Head - Sustainability Practice, Continuity and Resilience
Winner of a BCI Merit Award at the BCI Global Awards 2012

“Honor and recognition have been the top two outcomes for me since winning the Business Continuity Manager of the Year in 2012. Winning this Award has been a real game changer when it comes to my professional standing both within my region as well as overseas.  Receiving this Award at the same time as Greece was going through really tough times was even more meaningful. 

“Recognising excellence in the BC profession, the BCI Awards play an important role in encouraging more people to take their role in business continuity seriously, which in turn, can only benefit this great industry.  Winning the Award attracted a lot of media interest, which has not only helped me personally, but has helped raised the profile of the discipline in my region and will undoubtedly serve to attract newcomers into the BC industry.  All BCI Award Winners are in effect ambassadors for both the business continuity industry and the BCI – a role we should all be proud of.”

John Zeppos, MBCI and OTE Group BCM Deputy Director
Winner of the BCI Global Awards Business Continuity Manager of the Year 2012

By putting the spotlight on some of the best BC professionals in the world, we are showcasing this great industry and sowing the seeds for BC growth in future workforce generations, which is crucial to the sustainability of our industry and a great way to attract new blood. 

The BCI Awards are your platform to show the world what BC is all about; it’s your vehicle to BC fame and it is our urgent request that you make these awards the success they need and deserve to be by entering.

Now if you need no more convincing that you need to be part of this great initiative, then all that remains is for you to enter.  Click on the relevant logo to be taken directly to the right page for your Award.   

The lines for the BCI Asia Awards open on 1^st May 2013 and the lines for the BCI Global Awards will open in June.  However, you can still take a look at the categories and browse our Winners Gallery to get a flavour for this prestigious celebration of BC talent and achievements. The lines for the BCI North America Awards have already closed.  All other lines are open for applications now.

So, could this be you? Could you be a BCI Award Winner?  Enter now and find out!

Enter the BCI Middle East Awards 2013 >>
Deadline for entries 28th March 2013

 
Enter the Inaugural BCI Australasian Awards >>
Deadline for entries 4th April 2013
 

Enter the Inaugural BCI European Awards >>
Deadline for entries 12th April 2013

 

Enter the BCI India Awards 2013 >>
Deadline for entries 26th April 2013

 

 

Enter the BCI Asia Awards 2013 >>
Deadline for entries 30th June 2013

 







Donna Monkhouse
Your BC Eye

Help us to make # BusinessContinuity a global trend this #BCAW2013

Donna Monkhouse, Your BC Eye

One of the goals we have set for this year's BCAW is to make Business Continuity a global trending topic through the initiation of a tweet-a-thon.  ‘Tweet-off’ will be at 10:30 GMT on Monday, 18^th March 2013, marking the beginning of Business Continuity Awareness Week 2013 (BCAW) and will run throughout the whole week, and beyond. 

 

What is a trending topic?

 

Essentially, a trending topic is a word, phrase or topic that is tagged at a greater rate than other tags. To make it into a trending topic, it requires a concerted effort by fans or followers (that’s you) or it needs to be an event that prompts people to talk about one specific topic (that is BCAW and Business Continuity). 

 

Why is it important to make BC a trending topic?

 

For us, this is not just about trending (although, it would be an fantastic achievement to make BC a global trend and to get everyone talking about what we all know to be a fascinating and equally important discipline); more significantly, this is about really raising global awareness around Business Continuity; it's about showcasing its value-add and the role it plays in achieving organizational resilience; it's about putting BC into people's minds and sowing the seeds for future BC growth as an industry, as a discipline and as a career choice; it’s about getting it into the Boardroom and ensuring it features on business agendas all around the world.

 

'Tweet Off' is at 10:30 GMT on 18th March.

 

If we are to make this a global trend, it’s all in the timing.  The closer we can get the wider BC community to tweet at the official ‘tweet off’ time of 10:30 GMT, the more chance we stand of making Business Continuity a global trend and the more trendy we will make our chosen hash tags of #Business Continuity and #BCAW2013.  We may just even manage to knock Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga out of the running if we all join forces!!!

 

 

 

So how do we go about making Business Continuity a trending topic?

 

What we need you to do is:

• Follow us @TheBCEye and retweet as many #BCAW2013 and #BusinessContinuity tweets as possible - we will be adding tweets throughout the week (up to and beyond) so make sure you stay on the page with us and don’t miss an opportunity to play your part in making BC and BCAW global trends.
• Include #BCAW2013 and/or #BusinessContinuity in all your tweets up to and during BCAW 2013 and keep using #BusinessContinuity in all your future BC tweets
• Tweet or Retweet at 10:30 GMT or as close to this as you can get – best thing is to set a reminder in your Outlook Calendar to jolt your memory to start tweeting.

We hope that this tweet-a-thon marks just the beginning of what will continue to be a trendy topic around the globe for a very long time and so we would like to urge you to continue to include #BusinessContinuity in all your future tweets and help Business Continuity to take centre stage.

 

BC Predictions for 2013 - 7 to 10

Lyndon Bird FBCI

This blog brings to an end my review of BCI predictions for 2013 – mainly because as we have now reached February, they are beginning to look more like news comment than forecasts.

 

Predictions 7 through 10 were about business failures, sustainability, increased outsourcing problems and social media respectively.