Planning for Business Continuity

In this blog, we’ll explore how to effectively plan for Business Continuity (BCP) to ensure minimal disruption in the face of disaster.

Planning involves creating comprehensive processes and procedures so that, if a crisis occurs, the business can continue functioning with minimal interruption. With a robust BCP, organizations can fulfill their mission-critical responsibilities even in adverse situations.

Business Continuity vs. Disaster Recovery

While often used interchangeably, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (DR) serve different purposes:

• Business Continuity is strategic, focused on maintaining essential operations.

• Disaster Recovery is tactical, focused on restoring IT systems and data.

A successful BCP includes both elements but with emphasis on the broader organizational continuity.

The Four Phases of BCP

1. Project Scope and Planning

2. Business Impact Assessment (BIA)

3. Continuity Planning

4. Approval and Implementation

   
   

1. Project Scope and Planning

Structured Organizational Analysis

Start by identifying all stakeholders across business units, IT, and security. This builds the foundation for your BCP by:

• Identifying team members for the BCP team

• Creating the initial structure for the BCP process

  
  

BCP Team Selection

A well-rounded BCP team should include:

• Representatives from each business unit

• Departmental leads with core responsibilities

• IT subject matter experts

• Cybersecurity professionals

• Legal counsel

• HR representatives

• Public relations officers

• Senior managers to define vision and scope

SC3 recommends reminding senior leadership of their fiduciary responsibilities—they are personally liable for BCP.

Resource Requirements

Once the team is formed, resources should be allocated across:

1. Development – Crafting the BCP components

2. Testing & Training – Includes both human and infrastructure resources

3. Implementation – Full deployment of the BCP

BCP members time and effort should be documented and budgeted.

Legal & Regulatory Requirements

Some industries (e.g., finance, healthcare) have legal obligations to maintain operations during disruptions. Even if not legally required, understand SLA expectations with clients to guide continuity standards.

2. Business Impact Assessment (BIA)

The BIA evaluates risks, prioritizes operations, and quantifies potential losses. This includes both:

• Qualitative assessments (non-monetary impacts)

• Quantitative assessments (dollar-based impacts)

Conduct BIA:

a. Identify Priorities

• List and rank critical business processes

• Assign asset value to important assets

• Define Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

  
  

b. Risk Identification

Identify both natural risks (e.g., earthquakes, floods) and man-made risks (e.g., cyberattacks, sabotage).

c. Likelihood Assessment

Estimate the likelihood of each risk. In quantitative terms, use:

• ARO (Annualized Rate of Occurrence)

  
  

d. Impact Assessment

Calculate impact:

• SLE (Single Loss Expectancy) = AV × EF

• ALE (Annualized Loss Expectancy) = SLE × ARO

For qualitative assessments, focus on reputational damage, customer trust, etc.

e. Resource Prioritization

Combine risk assessments to rank assets and business functions based on criticality.

3. Continuity Planning

After assessment, continuity planning defines how to respond.

a. Strategy Development

Select strategies aligned with organizational priorities. Evaluate factors like Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) and brainstorm alternative solutions.

b. Provisioning and Process Design

Design practical procedures to protect:

1. People – Employee safety and role clarity

2. Physical Infrastructure – Facilities, secondary sites

3. IT Systems – Cloud SLAs, geographical redundancy

   
   

4. Approval and Implementation

a. Plan Approval

Obtain leadership buy-in. Involve functional heads if needed.

b. Plan Implementation

Roll out the BCP. Set up infrastructure and designate responsibilities.

c. Training & Execution

Train team members, run simulations, and prepare for live scenarios.

d. BCP Documentation

Create formal documentation. This provides clarity, accountability, and facilitates future updates.

e. Continuity Planning Goals

Include the following in your final documentation:

1. Statement of importance

2. Prioritized business functions (from BIA)

3. Organizational responsibility – “BCP is everyone’s responsibility”

4. Timing and urgency

5. Risk assessment recap

6. Risk acceptance and mitigation strategies

7. BIA maintenance procedures

8. Emergency response guidelines

9. Testing and exercising procedures

   
   

Final Thoughts

At SC3, we specialize in comprehensive BCP and DR planning. Using advanced quantitative risk methodologies, we help organizations build resilient, actionable continuity plans.

📞 Contact us to begin your BCP journey today.