Business Continuity Planning Case Study

Business continuity planning (BCP) is a strategic process whereby potential threats to an organization are anticipated and contingencies are developed in order to mitigate impact and return essential operations back to normal following a disruption. The primary focus is mitigation, and preparation is key to the continuity of services and providing protection for at-risk assets. More than disaster planning, a proper BCP takes the comprehensive step of getting the company back to business. It is the logical approach of identifying the vulnerability of key functions and critical areas and building an effective systematic response through planning and coordination.

In order for an organization to achieve a successful BCP, there must be

Senior management will have very broad goals concerning business recovery. It is up to the CSO and the organization staff to develop and implement continuity procedures. For example, in the event buildings are damaged or if power is lost, operations may have to resume at another location. The business used in this scenario, a bio-engineering company, has the advantage of operating from three separate locations in the San Diego area. Part of an actionable plan, could mean moving critical operations to one of the other two facilities. In the event all three sites are shut down, critical operations may be moved offsite at a previously planned and sustainable location. Relocating key critical operations from an industrial plant may not prove entirely feasible, and the mission may rely less on the continuity of production and rather focus solely on protecting and preserving proprietary products. It is up to organization leaders in determining what is at stake for the company through a business impact analysis. The cessation of production until industry operations can be restored might be far more palatable than losing proprietary

Consider the convergence of the disciplines making up the company. This will include the traditional resources: security, financial and IT, as well as, engineering. Having three sites is an advantage – use the advantage. Have a plan in place to spread resources, vehicles and production capabilities. It may serve having refrigerated transportation vehicles on stand-by in order to relocate products to an offsite operating on a separate grid. The company could rely on other medical or production organizations as part of a joint operation