This week’s article was provided by long-time auditor and IT expert Dan Swanson.
See: Auditing your BCP and DR Program – Just How Resilient is your Organization?
Why would I be sharing an article on business continuity planning (BCP) and disaster recovery (DR) you may ask?
When companies were forced to abruptly shift to remote work last year, many also had to hastily put together business continuity plans. Also, increased reliance on tech and systems makes DR even more important.
How well are these plans put together?
Below are 6 steps to setting up a business continuity program in your organization:
- Assess your situation
- Define your organization’s resilience (ability to resume operations)
- Gather critical data and determine risk
- Gain executive buy-in
- Determine your strategy
- Build your program
As I explain in my previous article, you should absolutely NOT jump head first without any knowledge or experience with business continuity, because like ERM, any processes can be easily abandoned should you change roles or companies.
However, if you have hastily put together BCP and DR plans in the wake of COVID, don’t worry. An audit can help you understand your gaps and how to proceed, because after all, COVID is not the only possible event that could trigger these plans. Dan’s article can help ensure this audit uncovers gaps so you can rest easy knowing there are adequate BCP and DR plans in place should the need arise.
Did your company put together BCP and DR plans quickly due to COVID or some other emergency?
How confident are you in your organization’s ability to timely and adequately respond in case of another interruption in the future?
Share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment below or join the conversation on LinkedIn.
I also want to give a huge thanks to Dan for sharing this article.
And if you are struggling to understand risks around business continuity and disaster recovery plans for your organization, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your specific needs today!
Featured image courtesy of Sharad Kachhi via Pexels.com
