More firms look to BS 25999 business continuity standard

Firms are getting behind the new BS 25999 business continuity standard.

A poll of companies carried out by the organisers of this April's Business Continuity Expo 2008, showed that 60% of them are now considering certification to BS 25999.

This would bring business continuity planning and management right to the top of the corporate agenda, said the organisers.

Paul Lanham, global marketing manager at certification organisation BSI Management Systems, said, "It would seem that at last companies are taking business continuity seriously, and investing in a framework to ensure that they have structures in place so that if a crisis hits they are prepared for it."

Lanham said many organisations are using the standard and evaluating certification against it to gain competitive advantage, while others are using it as a management and assurance tool in their supply chain - a continuity of supply being a major issue for most.

The TDG logistics company has already been certified for BS 25999 by BSI. The first major part of the standard was only published last November.