Embedding business continuity management in the organization’s culture
The concept of embedding business continuity in an organization’s culture is not new. Over the years it has developed through the various iterations of the Business Continuity Institute’s (BCI) Good Practice Guidelines (GPG), was then taken up by PAS 56, and featured in the original Business Continuity Management Lifecycle diagram.
With the onset of BS 25999, embedding BC into an organization’s culture has undergone a change in its positioning in the BCM Lifecycle, both within the Code of Practice in Part 1 and as a measurable component of the Specification in Part 2. But what does ‘embedding in the culture’ mean, what do you need to do, and how do you know you have achieved it? And, most importantly for certification purposes, how can you measure such a potential intangible?
This paper seeks to explore the requirements of BS 25999, and discusses various ways to ‘embed BCM within your organization’s culture.’
“Educating, awareness‐raising, training, whatever you like to call it, is a vital and ongoing part of any BCM programme. I believe that ‘embedding’ is now accurately reflected in the BCM Lifecycle diagram, showing that all we seek to deliver should have a wider impact on the culture of our organizations. By utilising every opportunity within each component of the Lifecycle to spread the word, you should be able to provide deeper levels of understanding that broad and generic campaigns could never achieve.
While we will always have different depths of knowledge as to what business continuity means to each individual and business unit, and support for the BCM programme, ‘embedding into the culture’ is truly where the BCM programme meets with the people who make up your business, this is where the rubber hits the road! Awareness equals understanding, and understanding leads to a greater chance of success in what you are trying to achieve.”
See Embedding business continuity management in the organization’s culture, by Andy Mason, BSc, MBCS, CITP, MBCI, Head of Business Continuity, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, for The Business Continuity Journal.
Tags: bci, BCM, BS25999, Business Continuity, Business Continuity Institute, Business Continuity Management Lifecycle, culture, gpg, PAS 56
