Business Continuity

What is Business Continuity Planning?

The first 72 hours after a disaster are critical in getting your business back up and running. Research has shown that 7 days after a major emergency the costs of getting a business back up and running increases exponentially and those businesses without a continuity plan struggle to return to their normal levels of operation post disaster, with many often failing as a result. Business Continuity Planning is a proactive planning process that ensures critical business functions are continued or restarted after a disruption to ensure business survival.

Business Continuity Planning includes:

• Plans, measures and arrangements to ensure the continuous delivery of critical services and products, which permits the organization to recover its facility, data and assets.

• Identification of necessary resources to support business continuity, including personnel, information, equipment, financial allocations, legal counsel, infrastructure protection and accommodations.

Having a Business Continuity Plan enhances an organization's image with employees, shareholders and customers by demonstrating a proactive attitude. Additional benefits include improvement in overall organizational efficiency and identifying the relationship of assets and human and financial resources to critical services and deliverables.

Below are some links and information to assist you in keeping your business up and running after a disaster.

• http://www.gov.mb.ca/emo/pdfs/bcont_e.pdf  (A Guide to Business Continuity Planning)

• http://www.gov.mb.ca/emo/pdfs/brp.pdf  (Business Resumption Planning Development Guide)
• www.epicc.org (Emergency Preparedness for Industry and Commerce Council)
• www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/bcp-eng.php (Pandemic Business Continuity Templates)
• http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/embc/flooding/bc-floodpreparednessbusiness.pdf (Preparing Your Business for a Flood)