Three Steps to Business Continuity

This bilingual book (in German and English) enables the development and implementation of a professional Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) in three steps. It also describes approaches to integrating requirements into an already existing integrated management system of a company. The book offers comprehensive information on this topic, while focussing on easy and quick applicability. In this way, a solid BCMS can be implemented within a short time, ensuring that operational disruptions are avoided and - if they do occur - that the company can respond quickly, effectively and efficiently so that it is able to recover from the disruption within a defined period of time. A BCMS is part of good and responsible corporate governance.

Quick and effective BCMS

The guide helps to set up an effective control system for maintaining operational capability in accordance with international Best Practice, or to align an existing system with it. Small and medium-sized companies will find a practical step-by-step guide to protecting the company from disruptions.

Topics included

The book explains the requirements set out in ISO 22301 for a control system for maintaining business continuity (BCMS) and breaks down the standard into concrete steps based on the PDCA cycle (Deming circle) and its components (Plan - Do - Check - Act).

Plan

• Understanding relevant external and internal company issues
• Obligation of the management, supported by guidelines and responsibility
• Justification of strategic goals and mission statements
• Resources to support the BCMS

Do

• Definition of requirements and hazard potentials (BIA and RA)
• Definition of strategies and requirements for the BCMS and selection of solutions for implementation
• Implementation of solutions through control measures with competent teams
• Proof of compliance with the requirements of the BIA

Check and Act

• Evaluation of performance
• Improvement

The sections are explained using a generic case study and are therefore particularly suitable for beginners. Due to the bilingual text, it is also recommended for companies that operate internationally.

Target readership:

Company owners, company managers, line managers, controllers, process owners, and all other parties involved in setting up and implementing processes to manage business continuity - in short: to everyone who is responsible for protecting the company from disruptions

Reviews

“Thanks to its lucid structure, its choice of words and the solid case study, the authors have succeeded in creating a compact work of reference that offers practical and easy guidance. In my integration projects and lectures I will definitely be taking the standard into greater account in future.”

Dipl.-Ing. (Univ.) Mathias Wernicke, Honorary Chairperson of DIN Standards Committee for Organizational Processes (NAOrg), lecturer at the Provadis School of International Management and Technology

“It is clear that the two authors have tapped their lengthy practical experience and deep academic knowledge on the subjects for this book. But the good news is that even the more technical parts of the book are pleasant and well written.”

Gianna Detoni, PANTA Ray Resilience Training and Consulting, Fellow at the Business Continuity Institute

"Company managers often see management system standards as tight constraints with a high level of bureaucracy and dubious benefits. The explanations based on a concrete SME example show that clear responsibilities and structured processes can limit the effort and that not everything that can be has to be."

Prof. Ernst-Peter Döbbeling, Furtwangen University