In a competitive environment, few organizations can afford costly business interruptions. The continuity of the services, operations and the uninterrupted operation of technological resources is constantly threatened by new technologies, the evolution of processes and new business opportunities. Business Continuity Consulting has developed a proactive approach, based on risk assessment, which includes preventive, detective and corrective controls designed to reduce these risks and provide the necessary support during the process of changing and implementing mechanisms to ensure the continuity of operations and activities. Planning the continuity of the activity represents the process designed to reduce the risks of customer activities that may occur as a result of the unexpected interruption of critical functions / operations, manual or automatic, necessary for the "survival" of the integrated computer system. The material and human resources required to ensure a minimum level of critical operations are included. When drawing up the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) it is important to consider the following principles:
1. BCP is an essential part of the organization's management.
2. Planning activities must be in line with, focus on, and directly support the organization's strategy and objectives.
3. PCOs must provide organizational resilience to optimize productivity and service availability.
4. PCO must be a cost-effective management process. It focuses on adding value to the business management process rather than on management or leadership considerations.
5. The organization and its constituent parts have the responsibility and accountability to support, implement, and test the plan, in order to ensure effective, purposeful, and up-to-date PCO competencies and capabilities.
6. An appropriate policy and strategy, published and distributed, a work scheme, together with the associated practical directives for PCO, is needed.
7. Before starting PCO, it is necessary to identify, define and understand the relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
8. The implications of the PCO must be taken into account at all stages of the development of the new integrated IT system.
10. The implications of the PCO must be treated as an essential part of the change management process.