Business Continuity Management
Business continuity management is the development, implementation and maintenance of policies, frameworks and programs to assist a Local Government to manage a business disruption, as well as build resilience. It is the capability that assists in preventing, preparing for, responding to, managing and recovering from the impacts of a disruptive event.
Business continuity management is an essential component of good public sector governance. It is part of a Local Government’s overall approach to effective risk management, and should be closely aligned to the Local Government’s incident management, emergency response management and IT disaster recovery.
Successful business continuity management requires a commitment from the Local Government’s Council and Executive to raise awareness and implement sound approaches to build resilience. The importance of becoming a resilient organisation is integral to contemporary business continuity practices.
What are the benefits?
Business continuity management acts to mitigate the negative consequences of a disruptive event, and may also deliver business improvements (positive consequences) by allowing an opportunity to review and enhance business processes .
The benefits to an entity of an effective business continuity management program include:
- The continued delivery of Local Government services to the community and other stakeholders
- Having an effective response to address a business disruption, hence limiting damage to the organisation
- Reduced operational costs during a business disruption and a cost effective recovery
- Compliance with regulatory requirements where applicable
- Enhancing a Local Government’s reputation to their stakeholders
- Increased interdepartmental teamwork and cooperation
- Building organisational resilience
Will we ever need it?
“We have enough insurance therefore why do we need to invest money and time in business continuity?”
“It’s never happened before so what are the chances of that happening to us anytime in the future?
“We’re too small to be affected by a disruption”
“Why would we be targets of terrorists or sabotage?”
These are some the more common questions raised by organisations as rebuttal responses to a proposal to implement a business continuity management framework
Let’s take a closer look at recent events and the need for effective business continuity for Local Governments:
1. Flood damage to Qld Local Government buildings and facilities; Qld floods – Jan 2011
2. Town of Claremont Council/Admin building fire – November 19 2010
3. Significant damage to Local Government buildings and facilities; Severe Perth storm – 22 March 2010
Insurance is essential in providing reimbursement as compensation for costs incurred during the recovery stage following a business disruption, however insurance will not assist in the timely resumption of critical services to the community by promptly providing temporary buildings, staff, equipment and machinery. These resources must be factored in and funded as part of a contingency plan to ensure their availability at short notice following a business disruption.
What can LGIS provide and assist you with?
LGIS Business Continuity consultants have a thorough knowledge and comprehension of the best practice guidelines, ensuring a Local Government organisation is guided through all the crucial stages of the implementation of business continuity. All facilitation and consultation is supported by well structured checklists and worksheets used to capture the pertinent information, which is collated and represented as the master Business Continuity Plan for the whole of organisation.
LGIS consultants can assist you with:
- Analysing your Local Government organisation and determining the scope of its business continuity requirements
- Designing your organisation’s best practice approach to business continuity
- Managing business continuity as part of everyday normal business practice
- Embedding business continuity management in your organisation’s culture
- Activation and deployment of the business continuity plan
- Maintaining the business continuity program and plan, through testing, exercises, audits and reviews
- Building organisational resilience
For more information please contact Paul Myers, Manager LGIS Risk Services on (08) 9483 8819 or paul.myers@jlta.com.au