This compilation of publicly available information, Council research and
observations on business continuity is intended to supply background to use to assist in developing a business continuity program or weighing the
effectiveness of an existing program.
Among the lessons learned from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina is how critically
important it is for a company to have an
action plan in place to ensure
business continuity in case of a disaster. Regulatory requirements such as
Sarbanes-Oxley
have further reinforced the need for a business continuity
strategy at the same time they have ensured that the issue is a
priority at
the highest levels of a corporation – for the Board of Directors and the CEO.
In the past, companies have tended to learn the lessons of business
continuity “the hard way” when an operational
emergency has put the company
at risk. However, given the new awareness at the corporate level, long gone are
the
days when upper management brushed aside as a low priority the need to be
ready in case of an emergency. Topics
such as business continuity, enterprise
risk management, emergency response, etc. are now top-of-mind buzzwords for
seminars, magazine articles, and software programs, and they are also the topic
du jour at the Big 4 accounting firms.
Today, simply put, a business continuity plan – as part of an overarching
“business resiliency umbrella” -- is a requirement
for a well-run company.
To gain an in-depth understanding of this resource and how you can apply
it, please
click here to view our Tools and Solutions Snapshot videos.
** Note: This resource is
available as a part of the
MSU/SEC Business Continuity Working Group. It is also available at no cost or at a discount to the Council community and strategic
alliance partners based upon their level of involvement. Please contact
Rob West
if you need assistance.