World Island Network Master Class 1

Disaster Awareness
The success of a Business Continuity Management (BCM) Programme depends on obtaining appropriate support at all levels within the organisation, and this is achieved by raising its profile.

As with any significant undertaking for an organisation, if it does not have the support of the Board, it is highly unlikely that the required resources will be made available for successful implementation. It is vital, therefore, that BCM is 'championed' at Board level, as middle management need to know that the Programme ranks highly on the corporate agenda and requires their support. This is best achieved through allocating the role of Programme Sponsor to a Board-level director, and through presenting the benefits of the Programme to the Board.

The Board should be reminded of its responsibilities under corporate governance to provide adequate Business Continuity provisions to protect the organisation in the event of business disruption, which may involve potentially catastrophic consequences if an incident strikes while the organisation is unprepared.

It is also vital that all staff understand the key objectives of the Programme and the possible implications for the overall Business Continuity Plan if the information that they supply is incorrect or incomplete. The potentially large numbers of staff across the organisation involved in such a Programme can create logistical workflow issues that need to be managed carefully, and staff need to be briefed on how the Programme will be run. Both of these reasons highlight the importance of providing 'awareness presentations' for all staff.

Outline – Business Continuity Awareness Training
MSD International Limited was tasked to provide tailored awareness training to all eight-hundred staff across a major international bank’s three sites in the Channel Islands. This training was viewed by senior management as vital to the successful implementation of the bank’s BCM Programme. The key objectives of the training were as follows:

• To raise awareness of the need for Business Continuity Management
• To introduce the BCM Programme structure and planning methodology
• To advise staff of their potential for input into the Programme
• To outline the Training, Testing and Maintenance Programme

Benefits of Business Continuity Awareness Training

• Enhanced management commitment
• Staff buy-in
• Team building
• Common knowledge base
• Appreciation of the importance of Business Continuity Management
• ‘Protects’ Programme investment