How do you integrate your BC plan with your risk management and crisis management strategies?

In my experience, Business Continuity, risk management, and crisis management are distinct but complementary processes. Business Continuity ensures essential operations can continue during disruptions by preparing for various scenarios. Risk management takes a proactive approach, identifying and mitigating potential threats before they escalate. Crisis management, however, responds to severe, unexpected events in real-time to minimize damage. Integrating these processes allows for better anticipation of risks, smoother continuity plans, and coordinated crisis responses, enhancing an organization’s overall resilience.

My perspective is that business continuity and crisis management are risk solutions. Risk management is about identifying, analysing, and mitigating events that could impact your organisation's objectives. Mitigation is about tolerating, terminating, treating, and transferring these risks. Business Continuity and Crisis Management capabilities support and organisation’s ability managing risks building the organisation's overall resilience.

A BC plan is a collection of steps and protocols designed to guarantee the uninterrupted operation of crucial company operations in case of an interruption. An organization's possible hazards are identified, evaluated, and mitigated through the use of a risk management strategy. A communication and decision-making approach designed to effectively manage a crisis is known as a crisis management strategy. The organization's resilience, readiness, and reaction skills can be improved by integrating the BC plan with the risk and crisis management plans. It does, however, present several difficulties, including how to balance the advantages and disadvantages of the integration and how to coordinate and synchronize the many teams and strategies.

Business continuity focuses on maintaining essential functions during and after a disruption, ensuring the organization can operate effectively. Risk management identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks to prevent potential disruptions. Crisis management handles the immediate response to unforeseen, significant events, aiming to minimize damage and recover swiftly. While risk management proactively guards against threats, business continuity prepares for sustaining operations during crises, and crisis management reacts to emergencies with strategic actions. Together, they form a comprehensive approach to organizational resilience.

These three disciplines work together to help organizations build resilience, minimize the impact of disruptions and crises, and ensure the continuity of critical business functions. Effective integration of BC, Risk Management, and Crisis Management enables organizations to identify and address potential threats, respond effectively to disruptions, and recover quickly from adverse events.

Combining these three critical disciplines gives us an integrated, robust and well rehearsed capability to respond to a wider range of events and circumstances. Leveraging the advantages of integrated resilience thinking delivers competitive advantage.

This is where the rubber hits the road, most BCP plans account for one kind of risks, while risk management accounts for another, and crisis management yet another. They are also supposed to work with one another, but they are not. This is where the cookie crumbles during a wicked event. The CEO says something, the COO is managing the operational aspects while the CFO or General Counsel are not in sync during a wicked event. This results in the wrong message sent to regulators, media, clients or partners This results in operational nightmares and very costly outcomes. A few examples: MGM Data breach, the right hand not talking to the left hand. BP Oil spill disaster. OpenAI's CEO departure.....

Integrating BCP, RM, and CM strategies is essential for a holistic approach to organizational resilience. This integration ensures that potential risks are identified and mitigated before they escalate into crises, while also preparing the organization to respond and recover efficiently if a disruption occurs. By aligning these strategies, businesses can ensure a coordinated response, minimize impact on operations, protect stakeholders, and maintain trust. It enables a seamless transition from proactive risk prevention to reactive crisis handling, ensuring that all aspects of the organization are prepared to withstand and rebound from unexpected events.

Integrating BC, RM, and CM is crucial for creating a comprehensive approach to organizational resilience. By aligning these disciplines, organizations can ensure a coordinated and efficient response to potential threats and disruptions. Risk management identifies and assesses potential risks, which informs the development of BC plans to maintain critical operations during disruptions. Crisis management provides the framework for responding to and recovering from severe incidents. Integration allows for a unified strategy that leverages the strengths of each discipline, reducing redundancy, and ensuring that resources are effectively utilized.

* This all flows in the same river from BC, risk and crisis management. * It's all about the recovery process and that the company can't be down for a prolong period of time. * Especially, if it's the company is a large enterprise and employs lots of people with a significant number of customers.

This sharing of knowledge is key to success. Plan well - but plans change; organize well- but understand organization of people, processes and technologies always change; Equip- your personnel with the right information and tools needed,; Training- it should never end and should mirror your risks and potential vulnerabilities; Exercise - your plan to see if it works. But remember…. This thought. How will you be able to do your job when you don’t have the normal tools used. Who will get the tool; what process will you need; when can you expect to receive it or do you need to go somewhere else; where is it, is it in the office , shed or at store, and finally tools are not just paper, it’s people, programs, and maybe even new technology.

To add to this, is accounting for Wicked Risks, there are unpredictable, have no precedence, yet happen. LiveNation/Ticketmaster & Taylor Swift disaster. TikTok CEO Testimony. Although there are no prescriptive solutions to wicked risks since they are always unique, a common framework to work together, speak together and understand when to act is CRUCIAL

Integrating a cohesive strategy that anticipates, mitigates, and responds to disruptions. Start by conducting a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities. Use this insight to develop a business continuity plan focused on maintaining essential operations during crises. Incorporate crisis management strategies to guide decision-making and communication during an emergency. Ensure these plans are interconnected, with risk management serving as the foundation for proactive prevention and mitigation efforts. Regular training, drills, and plan updates are crucial to adapt to new threats and ensure all strategies are aligned and effective.

It is easier said than done - the Integration. There have been decades of discussions of an Integrated Management System - there are 100s - ok, at least 5-6 most common - QMS, EMS, EnMS, EHS, ISMS, OHSMS, BCMS etc. Some companies have attempted integrating some of these - mostly the QMS (9001), EnMS (50001), and EMS (14001). As a starting point, I have attempted to write (arguably world's first) Integrated Resiliency Policy for startups (as they lack resources, but need it the most) covering EHS, Physical Security, Incident Management, Risk Management, IT Disaster Recovery, Information Security, Cybersecurity, Crisis Management, Business Continuity Management. There are no takers yet. I am piloting with an NGO now-will share results.

Integrating business continuity with risk management and crisis management involves aligning strategies to mitigate and respond to threats effectively. Risk management identifies and assesses potential disruptions, informing continuity planning. Crisis management responds to events, working with continuity plans for coordinated responses. This integration ensures proactive risk mitigation, crisis preparedness, and resilient responses, safeguarding operations and minimizing impacts. By fostering a cohesive approach, organizations enhance resilience and readiness to navigate challenges successfully.

A program becomes certified in business continuity standards by undergoing an assessment against recognized standards such as ISO 22301. This involves implementing processes and procedures aligned with the standard's requirements, ensuring the program's effectiveness in managing disruptions. An independent certification body then evaluates the program's compliance with the standard through audits and reviews. If the program meets the requirements, it receives certification, demonstrating its adherence to best practices in business continuity management. This certification enhances credibility, instills confidence in stakeholders, and signifies the program's commitment to resilience and continuity.

We should delete reference to BS 25999 as this was withdrawn in 2012 with the release of ISO 22301. Similarly DRII is an organisation - not a standard. This does not even produce any standards. ISO 22301 is the global standard for BCM. Few other to be mentioned are: NCEMA 7000-7001 for teh UAE, SS 540 for Singapore, SI 24001 for Israel, AS/ NZS 5050 for Australia and New Zealand. Certification process is almost similar for all standards, common steps include: a) body for certifying bodies (like UKAS) b) certifying bodies (like DNV) c) organisations to implement BCMS d) internal/ self assessment e) third party assessment/ certification - valid for 3 years, survielance audits every year, re-certification every 4th year.

Having myself certified a few companies ISO22301, I think the main mistake here is to think that getting certified is the goal, when it is only the way. Achieving certification in BC standards, such as ISO 22301, requires tremendous amount of efforts and the support from all the company, and not just from top management (another common mistake). However, it is, despite all the hardships, a worthy objective that even if it fails will allow you at least to reshape the way your organisation works and implements best business continuity practices. Ultimately, if certification remains your end goal, I would suggest to hire senior ISO22301 lead implementer to ensure the success of such initiative which is full of impediments.

* Getting certified in BC standards is the same as getting certified in Microsoft. * The format won't be the same thing. It'll be similar to type of training and testing though. * There will be pre-requisites that will be needed for different certifications. Just like any other type of technical testing.

To achieve certification, you must first choose the standard that best suits your organization's needs and expectations. Then, you need to understand the requirements and guidelines of the standard and how they apply to your organization. After conducting a gap analysis to identify areas that need improvement or change in your current practices, you should implement the necessary actions to meet the standard's criteria and document your evidence.

Vale destacar que os planos de continuidade de negócios (PCN, PCO, DRP etc.) tendem a ser direcionadores gerais para o ciclo de crises. Os processos de continuidade de negócios, dentre seus vários objetivos, devem dimensionar os recursos e capacidades operacionais da companhia para compreender quais os potenciais processos são mais sensíveis a uma crise, bem como os riscos diretos e indiretos de prejuízo associados a esses processos. Desta forma, é possível antecipar e mitigar efeitos de uma crise, considerando todo o contexto organizacional, não só os efeitos visíveis a curto prazo do evento. Sem GCN, gestão de crises se torna apenas um processo para "apagar incêndios" corporativos.

I do not disagree with some posts. Most people fail to realize in careers you typically are driving BC Management principles without knowing it. ISO 22301 is an international standard. But certifications in BC should be a requisite for companies to help meet or exceed standards. Research DRII.ORG as they are the leaders in BC certifications. Companies offer training, free webinars, etc... But none match up to DRI. Look at universities, take courses in Risk or Crisis management and get college credit. Look on-line take ISO 31000 ( Risk management ). A compelling thought might rise up when your company or agency does not have trained or certified personnel in BC. Certifications provide continuous training requirements. Maintain the edge!!

Individuals can receive training in business continuity standards through various avenues. One option is attending accredited courses provided by organizations or professional associations specializing in business continuity management. These courses cover key standards like ISO 22301 and offer comprehensive instruction on concepts, methodologies, and best practices. Alternatively, certification programs prepare individuals for exams in business continuity standards, offering study materials and practice exams. Workshops, seminars, webinars, and conferences also provide valuable learning opportunities with expert speakers and interactive sessions, self-study using online resources and publications can supplement formal training.

* Getting the training is easy. It can be done either online or in person. It's just a personal preference. As well as depending on your location. * Also, whether or not you like the instructor for the class. * Financial budget as well in how much will cost to the training.

Nowadays a wide range of training options like online courses for flexibility, classroom sessions for interactive learning, and workshops for hands-on experience are available. Renowned providers like BSI (British Standards Institution) and DRI International offer top-tier training programs tailored to ISO 22301 and other BC standards. These courses often include real-life scenarios and exercises, ensuring practical understanding. Certification courses prepare you for exams, validating your expertise. Continuous education through webinars and podcasts keeps you updated with best practices and emerging trends.