Business Continuity Management (BCM) Guide
Step-by-step guide to developing and maintaining a business continuity management program aligned with ISO 22301.
Business Continuity Management Guide
Overview
Business Continuity Management ensures organizations can continue to deliver products and services during and after disruptions.
BCM Lifecycle
1. Program Management
- Establish governance structure
- Define scope and objectives
- Allocate resources and budget
- Assign roles and responsibilities
2. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
Purpose: Identify critical processes and their recovery requirements
Key Outputs:
- Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD)
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- Resource requirements
3. Risk Assessment
- Identify threats to business operations
- Assess likelihood and impact
- Prioritize mitigation efforts
4. Strategy Development
Recovery Strategies:
- Alternate sites (hot, warm, cold)
- Technology recovery
- Workforce continuity
- Supply chain alternatives
- Communication plans
5. Plan Development
Business Continuity Plan Components:
- Activation criteria and procedures
- Contact information and call trees
- Recovery procedures
- Resource requirements
- Vendor contacts
6. Training and Awareness
- Role-specific training
- Regular awareness communications
- Plan familiarization
7. Testing and Exercises
Exercise Types:
- Tabletop exercises
- Walkthrough tests
- Functional exercises
- Full-scale exercises
8. Continuous Improvement
- Post-incident reviews
- Exercise lessons learned
- Plan updates and maintenance
- Regular program reviews