Background
A large non-profit organisation wanted to enhance its readiness for unplanned disruptions by implementing an effective Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) and Testing Framework. The objective was to provide governance assurance for stakeholders while improving the organisation’s ability to respond to risks and major disruptions.
The organisation had already completed significant groundwork on its Business Continuity Plan (BCP), providing a solid foundation to build upon. Inoni was engaged for its proven expertise in delivering practical continuity solutions, with extensive experience in supporting resilience efforts across various sectors.
Challenges
An initial review of the existing BCP highlighted several gaps that posed risks to the organisation’s continuity:
- Undefined risks: There was no clear definition of continuity risks and their impact on critical stakeholders.
- Missing dependency analysis: Stakeholders’ reliance on key services was not well-documented, making recovery timeframes uncertain.
- Inconsistent risk frameworks: Risk assessments varied across departments, leading to potential misalignments in continuity planning.
- Fragmented recovery strategies: Departmental recovery plans lacked an organisational-level strategy, risking disjointed responses during crises.
Solution
To address these issues, Inoni delivered a structured approach designed to align the organisation with best practices. Key elements included:
- Comprehensive Business Impact and Risk Analysis (BIA): Examining risks, impacts, and dependencies to create informed recovery strategies.
- Robust Business Continuity Plan (BCP): Developing a plan with clear guidelines for emergency response, crisis management, and operational recovery.
- Scenario-Based Card System: Creating runbooks and role cards for adaptive and effective responses.
- Policy and Management Framework: Establishing a document aligned with ISO 22301 standards, outlining implementation and maintenance processes.
- Cloud-Based Platform: Delivering a system for seamless updates and remote access to continuity documents.
Key Benefits
The project delivered several impactful benefits:
- Actionable and practical plans: Ensuring continuity strategies directly reduced risks.
- Alignment with standards: Outputs were created by ISO 22301 Lead Implementors for compliance with best practices.
- Time-efficient process: Minimised disruption to the organisation’s team while delivering quality results.
- Improved accessibility: The cloud-based platform enabled easy access and updates from any device.
Outcome
Through this collaboration, the non-profit organisation now has a fully developed BCMS and BCP that address previous gaps while providing a sustainable framework for ongoing improvement. The tools and processes delivered will enable the organisation to respond effectively to disruptions and maintain operations during critical incidents.
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