Business Continuity Planning

Keeping the wheels of your business turning smoothly requires staff, buildings, systems, assets and suppliers. But how would you manage if one or more of these essential resources were disrupted?

Fire, floods, fraud, theft, hacking, adverse weather or negative publicity are just some of the things that could seriously disrupt your business at any time. Every organisation, however large or small, wherever it's located, is potentially vulnerable. These days, it's crucial to ensure an otherwise manageable disruption doesn't turn into the nightmare of a business threatening disaster.

Fifth Step's Business Continuity Team are business continuity management (BCM) specialists. We advise, create and implement effective business continuity plans, BCM software tools and crisis management strategies that prevent disruptions becoming disasters. And we don't stop there. We'll train your staff to recognise and manage disruptions, help you run training excercises.

With a combination of the increase in the number of suppliers failing, as well as the introduction of the new crisis management standard (PAS 200), many organisations are re-examining their ability to deal with crises.

Who's using these services

Fifth Step's business continuity planning services are broad, whole business orientated and pragmatic, making them attractive to a variety of organisations:

• Organisations looking to audit their existing BCP, crisis response and disaster recovery capabilities
• Organisations who do not have a formal BCP, crisis response or disaster recover capability, but who recognise that their business is at risk without it
• Organisations looking for consultants to help implement a BCP in an international office

Why is now a good time to create or review your Business Continuity Arrangements?

An economic downturn is a period of change - period during which:

1. Companies don't have the spare resources to be able to be reactive if a crisis should occur
2. Some organisations implement a recruitment and or a replacement freeze, resulting in everyone being busier. This can lead to tasks that would normally be taken to mitigate risks being missed
3. Companies look to sweat their assets, a reasonable strategy so long as your BCP and other methods of risk mitigation are kept in step
4. The number of businesses ceasing to trade increases, what if one of those business that were to close were a key supplier, how would you cope?
5. The chances of a key client going out of business are increased, how would your business do if this were to happen to you?
6. Companies look for ways to save money, such changes may lead to a change in their ability to mitigate or respond to risks requiring updates to your BCP
7. Your clients may be re-evaluating their suppliers, what would your company do if you were one of those re-evaluations?

Act now

Discover how we can keep your wheels turning Email our Business Continuity Team or call us on 020 328 999 37 today to arrange a FREE no obligation discussion to review your needs and receive a FREE analysis of your business continuity and disaster recovery environment and how to improve it.

Glossary

Not all companies offering business continuity management services speak plain English or explain the terms that they are using. Our business continuity glossary will help you decode the information so you can truly understand the benefits that Fifth Step offer over those other companies.

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