eBCP: Business Continuity Plan

A Business Continuity Plan (or BCP) is essential to obtain lasting success for your organisation. Implementing a BCP not only protects vital information of your company against possible total destruction, but it also makes it possible to fine-tune your business processes allowing your business to return to normal activities in the event of a partial or complete interruption of daily operations.

eBCP is based on risk management, applying internationally approved best practices and standards. Business Continuity Management has its roots in an ongoing process that begins with comprehensive knowledge of the clients’ environment in order to incorporate continuity as a part of the organisation’s strategy.

The process comprises the following phases:

• Project Initiation which includes gathering information in order to know your business.
• Impact analysis for the purpose of establishing the company’s critical processes; evaluation of the financial and operational impact of these processes on the business in the event of the absence of human, logistical or technical resources to execute them, as well as to establish an order of priority for the recovery of these processes.
• Risk analysis, assessing the risk exposure of the business and, more specifically, the critical processes identified in the previous phase, incorporating for the assessed risks the options of: eliminate, mitigate or assume.
• Development of continuity strategies, reassessing these until a balance can be obtained between the expenses incurred, the risks to be mitigated and the financial benefits obtained.
• Documentation of the procedures to be followed, depending on the strategy adopted. The procedures include planning the resources, logistics and technology required to enable your company to recover its minimum services.
• Trials of the recovery solutions and exercises based on the plan in order to verify its proper functioning and update any weak points found during this phase.
• Staff awareness and training in the BCP and on its importance for your business.

The following may be included (successively or exclusively) within a Business Continuity Plan:

• Technological Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP), the purpose of which is to provide technological solutions for the event of system failure, either through external providers or by developing an internal solution.
• Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), the purpose of which is to ensure continuity of operations by contracting the appropriate logistics services.
• Business Continuity Plan (BCP), which includes the above-mentioned plans and covers the entire company in the event of any interruption in its operations caused by any incident or circumstance.