Certified Practical Business Continuity & Crisis Management

Here, we take a look at the basics of risk with an emphasis on the practical aspects of risk in a business or organizational setting.

We look at types of risk and how risk pertains to both the internal and external operating environments.

We look at categories of risk and how to identify risk factors in your organization.

Finally, we look at risk assessments, the risk register, risk tolerance, risk severity, and the business impact assessment.

All templates mentioned here and discussed in the lecture are available in The Resource Library.

Often, the terms 'Business Continuity Planning', 'Crisis Management' and 'Disaster Recovery' are used almost interchangeably, which is incorrect.

There are differences between each of these areas and this module gives an overview of those differences.

A staggering proportion of businesses globally have no business continuity plans in place and many still have no intention of drawing up plans to cover a serious disruption.

This module discusses how that approach is flawed, no matter what your business is focused on.

The sheer dynamism of the global economy, along with BREXIT and now the global pandemic means that a need to plan for disruption is more critical than ever.

Following on from lecture 4, this module underlines the need for proactive BCP by citing a number of examples from recent history.

A basic example of a response plan is then discussed and shared in the Resource Library to demonstrate how an organization can equip itself to face disruption and manage its risk responses.

This module looks at one aspect of how business continuity is evolving with the aid of technology.

Many companies may well be interested in looking at these ever-improving platforms. They certainly have their place and this brief discussion shares some personal experience and some tips around what to look at when considering getting into this area.

Organizations are busy places and many can be either time or resource-strapped, or both!

For anyone hoping to launch a BC program, there are a number of factors to be aware of in order to preempt any roadblocks. These can include anything from a lack of Management support to funding to a situation where the program may be seen as a low priority.

This discussion aims to tackle some of these issues for the Student.

Organizations are made up of people, not buildings, offices, labs, or warehouses. They all have different priorities and BCP may not be one of them.

This module offers insight into the fact that your colleagues may have varying personal and work priorities. This acts as a reminder to be mindful of where BCP may be received and supported.

If you are launching a BCP program, be sure you can take people with you as you roll out the program.

From creating a plan with the right template to ensuring you have the right people on board and that you are executing the plan well, this module takes you through the various aspects of not only getting a plan together but crucially, making sure that plan is an EFFECTIVE one!

Having a plan is one thing, but in a crisis or disruptive situation, delivery and clarity of message are of the utmost importance.

There will be a Team to update and direct. There will be stakeholders to inform. There will be a policy to communicate. There will be suppliers and customers to keep in the loop.

Who will direct the messaging? Who will deliver it and how will the messaging be done?

This module takes you through the vital steps.

Again... the Resource Library contains the relevant templates for you to avail of.

The international standard for Business Continuity is ISO 22301:2019, Security, and Resilience – Business Continuity Management Systems.

This module aims to give the student an overview of the standard and how it sets the bar for proponents of BC planning.

PDCA or 'Plan, Do, Check, Act' is a management method for continuous improvement efforts.

This module aims to demonstrate how PDCA can be applied to your program of BC Planning (or indeed many other activities) in order to elevate the performance of your program on an ongoing basis.

This is a critical module.

Any program for business continuity or crisis management must be drawn up against the proper context of the organization, otherwise, it may not be fit for purpose.

For example, the student needs to think about a number of factors including the 'true' risk areas or threats, and the most appropriate mitigation steps available, rather than allowing any one area to influence the plan, only to skew the allocation of resources incorrectly.

Any plan will die on its feet without strong, purposeful leadership. Here, we examine how the plan should be championed in the organization, who should head up the BC Team, and who should sponsor it.

The advantages of good leadership to the program are discussed, as are the risks to the program if it is not brought to the table as a priority.

In this module, we take a look at the practicalities of the plan and what it should achieve for the organization to have confidence in the program.

Here, we look at how the organization should support the program for business continuity.

From allocating a budget, the right personnel, and even sponsorship from Management, there are a number of vital supports the program deserves if it is going to fulfill its mission.

The BC program should operate effectively in order to fulfill its mandate. How does it do this?

Here we cover operational planning and control, the BIA (Business Impact Assessment), the program strategy, the program procedures, and finally... pressure testing of the program.

So, how do we know if we have an effective program?

This module looks at practical evaluation methods and improvement steps we can take, to assess and calibrate our BC program so that we, the program owners, and the organization's stakeholders are satisfied with the program and its performance.

This module goes through an actual template for a BC plan.

The template is contained in the Resource Library and is of course editable for the student's purposes or the organisation it is to be applied to.

This is at the 'business end' of the program and can form the basis for the entire organisation's plan itself.

This module is offered as an additional discussion on some practicalities on bouncing back from the disruption of the global pandemic.

With small to medium-sized business owners in mind (in particular), the discussion covers some of the 'softer' aspects of personal recovery as well as the more 'hardcore' business considerations.

Also included is an eBook by Peter Coughlan entitled Survival Tips For Small & Medium-Sized Businesses in the Age of Covid-19. This is a manual of practical tips on business survival in extraordinary times.

This module focuses on fast-tracking' a BC plan into place for those who may be particularly time-pressed. It is, however, intended only as a starting point for the development of a BC program and a more detailed plan which is recommended highly so that the user can optimize the benefits from a full, fit-for-purpose, and comprehensive plan.

All tools, templates, and resources referred to and used in the video discussions are contained in this section.