Protect your business
Statistics show that almost one in five businesses will be hit by a major disruption every year. Consequences can result in loss of customers, loss of revenue, and even collapse of the business.
Have you considered how you would manage if you lost any of the following:
- loss of staff
- loss of premises
- loss of technology
- loss of your suppliers
- loss of customers
- loss of data
The sections below will help your business manage risks and ensure continuity and recovery in the event of a disruption.
Before an emergency
Visit the BLLRF business continuity pages to learn more about the main risks to plan for, a five step guide to business continuity planning and a frequently asked questions section.
You should also create a business continuity plan using the BLLRF template.
A Business Continuity Plan will help:
• Customers – feel more secure
with you as a supplier. A BCP may even be a
contractual requirement. It also protects your
future business
• Investors / stakeholders – demonstrates
prudent business management
• Staff – gives them confidence that your business
is well run and their job is safe from major
disruption
• Finance – could save you money on insurance
premiums and give greater long-term financial
stability.
Emergencies do not have a time frame or a set schedule, they can either be a slow burn emergency such as flu pandemic, or fast-burn such as a flood or power failure. It is important as an organisation that you recognise early on which time-frame your response may be required for.
90% of businesses that lose data from a disaster are forced to shut within 2 years
During an emergency
You may now be in the middle of an emergency, with the members of your management team to discuss ways to help your organisation to recover from the disruption.
Consider the following:
- start a log of events, decisions and actions
- activate your business continuity plan
- staff – who will be required, what will they do?
- premises – where can you relocate to
- providers – what do you need, where can you get it from?
- services/products – what is key to your business?
- communications – public image and stakeholders
Now is the time to put your business continuity plan into action.
After an emergency
See your organisations business continuity plan for the requirements that you may need to help your organisation to recover quickly. For example:
- moving to another location
- alternative suppliers/transport companies
- extra staff
Lessons learnt
It’s important to meet with all personnel and managers that were involved in the management of the major incident. To debrief on the disruption and look at what could be improved, such as:
- communications – internally with your staff and externally with the public and stakeholders.
- resilience of the organisation
- business continuity plan
- review your insurance
- clean up procedures
- administrative issues
Incorporate you lessons learnt into your business continuity plan. If you haven’t got a plan, consider developing a plan with these lessons.
