Businesses and public sector organisations in the UK
are showing an “alarming level of complacency” when it comes to
business continuity planning, a major research project
reveals.
The 2007 Business Continuity Management Survey, which questioned
1,257 organisations, shows that only 48% have business continuity
plans in place, dropping to 34% for smaller organisations.
The research, by the Chartered Management Institute, shows that
even when firms have plans in place, organisations are failing to
test that they actually work.
More than a third of organisations do nothing with their plans
once developed, and 15% fail to act on any shortcomings they
identify.
“Events from the Carlisle floods to the London bombings and
Buncefield explosion have clearly shown the vast range of impacts
that emergencies can have. Yet despite these, there are still too
many organisations with insufficient business continuity plans,”
said Bruce Mann, director of civil contingencies at the cabinet
office.
Although 61% of organisations outsource work to third parties,
only 22% demand that their critical suppliers have business
continuity plans in place. Of those that do, only a third inspect
their suppliers plans, and 17% get involved in the plans'
development.
Although many of the organisations questioned said they were
concerned about the impact of losing access to their premises, only
half said they were strongly ready for remote working.
Managers identified IT failure as the issue most likely to
impact future costs, followed by telecoms failure, and loss of
access to work sites. However, a growing number fear the impact
that loss of people and skills.
On the positive side, 55% have put plans in place for a possible
flu pandemic, and two thirds have access to alternative work sites
in place.
The latest research from the Chartered Management Institute
Expect mass staff exodus in disaster, says survey
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