Business continuity plan template – Introduction
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You know you need a continuity plan, but don’t have a clue where to start or what sections it should contain?
Producing a continuity plan will enable your business to carry on functioning should the unexpected occur. You may not be able to be fully operational but setting out a plan ensures people know what is expected of them and who is responsible for a particular role or procedure.
This guide contains a template plan which can be modified to your own particular business needs. The template is not exhaustive, but does cover topics which need to be considered.
Business Continuity Plan Template
The maintenance of this plan is the responsibility of the Business Continuity Project Manager (BCPM). This plan will be updated on a regular basis and includes the key details and actions needed to continue all business operations.
1.0 Business continuity project manager
This section needs to include the name and contact details (including office, mobile and home contact telephone numbers) of the person responsible for this role.
2.0 Business continuity management team
This team comprises of the key decision makers within the business. Ideally they should congregate in the designated contact centre. They will be responsible for authorising any variations to the continuity plan. Again this section needs to include the name and contact details (including office, mobile and home contact telephone numbers) for each member of the management team.
3.0 Designated contact centre/recovery site
Should our normal business premises be unusable for whatever reason, our initial designated contact centre will be the BCPM’s home.
An appropriate recovery site should be arranged as necessary, the location depending on the circumstances. Office based staff will be re-located to this site. State the location if one has been arranged or list potential locations.
4.0 Vital records
This section includes details covering the following issues:
- Disaster pack stored at BCPM’s home
- Back up computer records stored at (location)
- Critical paper records stored at (location)
5.0 Staff contact details
Appendix A includes staff contact details and an organisation chart. The contact list highlights all first aiders.
State in this section who is responsible for contacting which staff in the first instance, including a cascade plan if you have enough staff to make this necessary. If contact by telephone or email is not possible then announcements will be arranged on Radio Cumbria. A record will be kept of any staff it has not been possible to contact.
A plan for further contacts depending on the circumstances will then be agreed and implemented.
6.0 Key contacts
See Appendix B
7.0 Critical business processes
This section needs to list examples of the critical business processes which could be affected in the event of an incident. This could include:
- Payment of staff
- Payment of suppliers
- Customer transactions
- Transportation of goods
8.0 Incident recovery log
It is the BCPM’s responsibility to maintain a recovery log (Appendix C). The purpose of the log is to track all decisions made and actions taken.
9.0 Activity checklist
This checklist should be adapted depending on the precise circumstances. All tasks will not always be needed.
- Evacuate premises if applicable and alert the emergency services
- Alert business continuity team
- Initiate recovery of disaster pack from offsite location
- Obtain essential items/records from offsite location
- Agree with the BCT the recovery actions to be followed and implement the recovery action plan
- Establish immediate business needs and necessary actions
- Advise staff required to carry out actions to report to the designated centre at an appointed time or to be available for a telecom briefing
- Advise all remaining staff to remain at home until they are contacted
- Notify the appropriate critical contacts
- Establish operations as the designated recovery site
- Contact BT to redirect telephones
- Contact (name) and make necessary arrangements re data and IT equipment
- Arrange necessary equipment and consumables
- Contact the landlord regarding property security, recovery of items, arrangements for returning etc
- Establish status of workload and extent of work outstanding and take necessary steps such as:
- Cancelling/postponing events and other activities
- Arranging alternative cover from amongst own or outside staff
- Updating website
- Maintain a log of actions taken
- Obtain authorisation from the Finance Manager for business recovery expenditure
- Prepare amended cash flow forecasts
- Contact bank and accountant
- Make arrangements for the payment of wages and bills
- Contact insurers and arrange appropriate claims, checking what we can and can’t do
- Be alert for signs of stress in staff and take appropriate actions
10.0 Media communications
A statement for use with the media and others will be circulated to all staff. This statement must be adhered to strictly and no further information or comment offered.
Anyone requesting further information must be referred to (named contact).
(named contact) will agree an appropriate media strategy for the particular circumstances, taking into account the particular value of Radio Cumbria in crisis situations. This will be implemented by (named contact).
11.0 Rehearsals, briefing and training
This plan is available to all staff via (named contact) and staff will be alerted when any significant changes are made. New staff will be briefed as part of their induction. Staff will be briefed on the plan annually.
The plan will be rehearsed annually by the BCMT.
12.0 Reviews
This plan will be reviewed annually and following any incident, specific threat or changes to the business.
13.0 Appendices
A Staff contact list
If landlines and mobiles are out of action, staff should listen for announcements on and be notified via Radio Cumbria.
This should include:
- A list of staff, office telephone, mobile telephone, email, home address, home telephone
- Cascade plan (if applicable)
- List of first aiders
- Organisation chart
B Key contacts list
Add telephone number, postal and email addresses for, for example:
Environment Agency, Radio Cumbria, Media contacts, Emergency Planning Unit, Business Link, Revenue & Excise, your IT provider, your accountants, your solicitor, your landlord, your insurance company, your utilities suppliers, BT, your key suppliers, your key clients.
C Incident recovery log sheet
A copy of this should be attached to the plan.
D Threats
These may include one or a combination of:
- Fire
- Flood
- Power cut or other utilities outage
- IT systems failure
- No or restricted access to premises
- Illness/loss of key staff
- Terrorist attack
- Outbreak of disease/infection
- Illness/loss of significant numbers of staff
- Disaster affecting suppliers
- Disaster affecting clients
- Chemical spill
- Nuclear incident
- Loss of telecoms
- Other equipment failure
- Legal, regulatory or other business change
- Anything leading to threat to image/reputation
- Fuel shortage
E Preventative actions
The following actions have been taken to minimise the effects of likely threats include:
- IT related actions – see IT Procedure and E-Communications Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Insurance
- Key pad access to doors when office temporarily empty or quiet
- Last to leave checks windows and doors are locked as do any cleaners
- Visitor sign in arrangements
- Storage arrangements for/copies of key documents and information
- First aiders
- Evacuation arrangements
- Staff flexibility/training
- Bomb threat procedure
- Business Continuity Plan
- Staff induction
