Business continuity – in an emergency

The effect of a major incident on your business cannot be underestimated. Did you know that:

• 80% of small businesses affected by a major incident go out of business within 18 months
• 90% of businesses that lose data after an incident go out of business within 2 years?

Business continuity helps protect your business from disruptive emergencies.

A business continuity plan prepares your business or organisation and helps safeguard it against a range of disruptions. The plan will help your business:

• handle the disruption
• continue to function
• recover effectively afterwards.

It sets out what is required for your business to run – such as resources & structures – and the actions, tasks and data recovery process needed in the event of a disruptive incident, as well as recovery priorities and timescales. The plan will also state who is responsible for invoking it, and the contact details for those who need to be informed or involved.

Because business continuity plans focus on the impact of a disruption rather than the cause, it means that, when faced with disruption or disaster, essential services can be maintained or resumed with minimum delay and cost.

For example, if the impact of a fire or flood meant you couldn’t reach your place of work, the business continuity plan would consider options such as an alternative work location.

These websites provide further details of how businesses can prepare for emergencies using effective business continuity planning and management.

• London.gov.uk has some 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
• The Continuity Forum, an independent non-governmental organisation, provides online practical information, help and guidance.

For major incidents or emergencies affecting Portsmouth, Portsmouth City Council has plans for different civil contingencies, such as flooding, severe weather, explosions & fires, pollution and major industrial or traffic accidents.

To find out more about civil contingencies in Portsmouth, email emergency.planning@portsmouthcc.gov.uk, phone 023 9284 1498, fax 023 9283 4425 or write to us at the Civil Contingencies Unit at Portsmouth City Council, Guildhall Square, PO1 2BG.