Create your Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is designed to help prepare your business to cope with the effects of an emergency or crisis. It also provides the basis for a relatively quick and painless return to 'business as usual', regardless of the cause.
There are five steps to take:
- analyse your business
- assess the risks
- plan and prepare
- share your plan
- test your plan.
The primary aim is to ensure that, unless there is an overwhelming pressure or necessity to close, your business remains open and normal routines are maintained as far as possible.
Use the template below to create a BCP for your business. It is vital that it is specific to your organisation and contains relevant, concise and up-to-date information that may be needed urgently during an emergency situation.
Hard and electronic versions of your BCP should be stored in a number of pre-identified locations, and shared with relevant members of staff. At least one location should be offsite.