The Link between Risk Management, Business Continuity
Management and Disaster Recovery
Recent century meteorological tragedies have given us all a
vivid reminder of just how rapidly nature can turn civilised
communities into disaster zones. Torrential downpours and
floodwaters, for instance, showed no respect for national borders
when they hit the Alps during August 2007. Many countries
downstream were severely affected, and many of the affected
businesses took a great deal of time to fully recover. Some even
folded.
The UK too has suffered its own fair share of disasters in
recent years; the most newsworthy incidents here, however, were
man-made – the result of terrorism. Many in the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery world
will remember the effects, both financial and personal, of the
bombing campaigns during the 1980s and 1990s directed against UK
plc. As a direct result of the attacks devastating key premises
within the City of London, several long-established well-regarded
businesses went quickly to the wall. But many didn’t; they
lived on. Equally importantly, they continued to successfully
support their clients and indirectly their clients’ customers
throughout the initial disaster and recovery periods.
Whilst luck, or lack of it, will always have a part to play
during such events, prior planning can make the difference between
survival and the abrupt cessation of trading. Those businesses that
proactively plan for the worst, that plan in detail how they will
react in such circumstances ensure that their staff know the plan,
and that periodically test their Business
Continuity Planning, are the ones most likely to emerge from
the rubble and carry on in business.
Only by understanding the risks it faces can an organisation
hope to put in place plans to combat those risks.
Comprehensive Risk Management and, by extension, Business Continuity Planning and Disaster
Recovery Planning, require that the business’ assets have all been
identified and valued, the threats and vulnerabilities have been
assessed and the possible countermeasures explored and presented
for selection. All of this is referred to as the risk analysis and
management process; its purpose is to provide management with the
facts and allow management to confirm its appetite for risk and
decide how much it is prepared to invest in countermeasures to
remove or reduce the danger.
Contact VEGA for more information about
Business Continuity Planning and Management