What’s the Difference Between a Business Continuity Plan and a BCP Policy?

In the world of business continuity and resilience, it’s common to hear the terms Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and BCP Policy used interchangeably. But while they’re closely related, they serve very different purposes. Understanding the distinction is essential for organisations looking to build a robust and compliant continuity framework.

What is a BCP Policy?

A Business Continuity Policy is a high-level document that sets out an organisation’s commitment to business continuity. It defines the scope, objectives, and governance structure for continuity planning and recovery. The policy provides the foundation for how continuity is managed across the business.

Key elements of a BCP Policy typically include:

• The purpose and scope of business continuity management
• Roles and responsibilities at a strategic level
• Links to legal, regulatory, or contractual requirements
• A commitment to maintaining, testing, and reviewing continuity arrangements
• Alignment with standards such as ISO 22301

The policy is usually approved by senior leadership and is intended for internal stakeholders, auditors, and regulators. It does not contain operational detail — instead, it sets the rules and expectations for how continuity should be approached.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A Business Continuity Plan is the practical, operational document that outlines how an organisation will respond to and recover from disruption. It contains the specific steps teams need to take to maintain critical services during incidents such as IT outages, supply chain failures, or severe weather events.

A typical BCP includes:

• The procedures to be implemented in the event of defined scenarios
• Emergency response / incident management procedures
• Procedures to recover the business to pre-agreed minimum levels of service / operations and timeframes
• Arrangements for supporting long-term recovery of the business.

The BCP is used by operational teams during a live incident. It’s detailed, scenario-based, and regularly updated to reflect changes in the business or its risk environment.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion often arises because both documents are part of the same business continuity management system. However, they serve different audiences and purposes.

Why You Need Both

Having a BCP without a policy means there’s no formal governance or assurance that the plan is aligned with business objectives. On the other hand, having a policy without a plan means the organisation has intent, but no means of execution.

Together, the BCP Policy and the BCP ensure:

• Clear accountability and ownership
• Compliance with standards and regulations
• Effective response and recovery during disruption
• Confidence from stakeholders, clients, and regulators

Final Thoughts

At Inoni, we help organisations build both the governance and the operational capability needed to manage disruption effectively. A well-structured BCP Policy sets the tone from the top, while a tested and maintained BCP ensures your teams know exactly what to do when it matters most.

If you’re unsure whether your organisation has the right documents in place — or if they’re aligned — we can help. Get in touch to review your current arrangements or to start building a business continuity framework that works.