What to include in a business continuity plan

The unthinkable normally doesn’t happen. Terrorism and natural disasters seem like far-off nightmares which UK-based organisations don’t have to consider. 

 

But there are disasters that can happen. Premises break-ins, property destruction, mass pandemics, and cyberattacks form part of a growing list of threats that could interfere with operations.

 

A business continuity plan (BCP) helps charities stay functional while dealing with emergencies.

 

 

What is a business continuity plan?

 

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a document that outlines what to do if operations are disrupted and how to recover to normalcy. This document forms part of the risk management function.  

 

In the Business Continuity Toolkit, UK Government says: “Business Continuity Management is about identifying those parts of your organisation that you can’t afford to lose – such as information, stock, premises, staff – and planning how to maintain these, if an incident occurs.”

 

Generally, the BCP should cover possible disruptions from loss of power, equipment, and any other unforeseen problems. Technology solutions lay part of the foundation of what to recover.

 

 

How to start thinking about the business continuity plan

 

A risk assessment is where to start developing the BCP. At Charity Digital, we’ve identified five types of risks to judge: 

• Financial
• External
• Regulatory and compliance
• Operational
• Governance

When examining the risks associated with charity operations, record the estimated likelihood of the event, potential severity, and how business might be impacted. Key perspectives also include people, processes, and technology. To note, there are standard insurance which cover a few critical operations, including liability and business.

 

 

Creating the business continuity plan

 

Now that there’s an overview of the risks, assemble a team to be responsible.

 

Sarah Cox, from Ansvar covers team goals. She says: “You should clearly define the roles and responsibilities of individuals within your charity to respond to any event that may occur. Make sure all main areas of your charity or organisation are represented and that they know exactly what is expected of them.”

 

The BCP should also contain a timeline of what to do in an emergency. Laid out from incident to resolution, there’s a suite of things to look after in the first 24-hour period, 36-hour, and so on. Included in this section is a list of individuals or companies that need to be contacted should a disruption occur. Suppliers, staff, emergency services, and insurances will need to be on this list.

 

Definitely engage the charity finance team when drafting the BCP. From them, get a picture of what it will cost to stand up and maintain the procedure. Budget for insurance, potential replacement costs for damaged goods, and, in the worst-case scenario what could happen to finances if any compensation needs to be paid out.

 

 

Tech for your business continuity plan

 

Now that risks have been identified, technologies may mitigate some of the impacts.

 

Regularly backing up data to the cloud will be one of the most effective ways to enhance resilience. Platforms that automatically save data onto the cloud takes the pain out of manually checking what’s been uploaded. Microsoft 365 Cloud services on Charity Digital Exchange serve as a backbone. The platform has cloud-based versions of Excel, Word, Teams, PowerPoint and Outlook. All may be accessible away from premises, so in the event of an emergency, staff can log in and recover.

 

For more sophisticated operations, there’s dedicated software for business continuity. Platforms like Logic Gate help maintain business continuity by mapping out each function and monitoring risks. They ascertain which risks are connected, when to review them, and what the possible impacts may be.

 

 

Fire drills are a must

 

With the plan in place, practice what to do in an unforeseen situation. Like physical fire drills, initiate a rehearsal of minor, medium, and severe events. Learn from each drill and ensure that all teams have the right response.

 

 

Crisis communication protocol

 

During a crisis or disruptive moment, there may be a need to communicate both internally and externally. CharityComms offers sage advice. During a crisis, first collect the facts and assess what’s happening. Next, alert the management team and organise media and communication messages.

 

When issuing press releases or other messages, communicate with care. The message should focus on the humanness of the situation and show that as an organisation there’s care and empathy.

Charities should also exercise calmness. Any media comms should reveal that the leadership is in control, using an active tone of voice.

 

Acknowledge what’s happening and take responsibility as well as only communicating what you know for certain. Don’t communicate messages that you aren’t sure of – that can backfire if other facts come to light