A major incident can have a serious impact on your business. 80% of small businesses affected by a major incident close within 18 months. 90% of businesses that lose data after an incident close within 2 years.
Planning ahead can help protect your business from disruptive emergencies.
Business continuity plan
A business continuity plan helps your business prepare for, handle, and recover from a range of disruptions.
It sets out:
- what your business needs to run – resources, structures, and key people
- how you will respond if disruption happens
- how you will continue to deliver essential services if disruption happens
- how you will recover quickly afterwards, including priorities and timescales
The plan will also state who is responsible for implementing it, along with contact details for those who need to be informed or involved.
The plan focuses on the impact of a disruption rather than its cause. This means that when a disruption happens, essential services can be maintained or resumed with minimal delay and cost. For example, if your office becomes unavailable after a fire or flood, the plan may include options like working from another location.
More information
These websites provide guidance and tools on effective business continuity planning and management:
- London.gov.uk has useful business continuity advice
- British Standards Institute describes the UK national standard for business continuity BS ISO 23301
- British Continuity Institute promotes business continuity management worldwide
- Continuity Forum provides practical information, help, and guidance online.
Emergencies in Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council has plans in place for major incidents or emergencies such as flooding, severe weather, explosions and fires, pollution, and major industrial or traffic accidents.
For more information about civil contingencies in Portsmouth, contact us at:
- emergency.planning@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
- 023 9284 1498
- fax: 023 9283 4425
- write to us at the Civil Contingencies Unit, Portsmouth City Council, Guildhall Square, PO1 2BG.