The BCI has launched the latest version of its long running business continuity Good Practice Guidelines (GPG). Badged as Edition 7.0, the GPG marks a new approach for the BCI, with a move away from a major review every five years towards delivering an ‘evergreen document’ that will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
The GPG provides a ‘definitive guide for those seeking to understand business continuity and its role within the wider resilience function of their organization’.
Edition 7.0 waves good-bye to the business continuity lifecycle, replacing it with a focus on the development of a business continuity management system.
In the GPG 7.0 edition, the previously termed ‘Business Continuity Management Lifecycle’ has been replaced by the more scalable and holistic term ‘Business Continuity Management System’ states the BCI.
The first main section of the GPG, Professional Practice One (PP1), is titled ‘Establishing a Business Continuity Management System’ and sets out how the other Professional Practices (PPs) set out in the GPG fit together within a business continuity management system. PP1 sets out two key objectives:
- To determine how the programme will be designed
- To determine how the programme will be implemented.
Embracing business continuity
Another significant change in the GPG Edition 7.0 is the replacement of ‘embedding business continuity’ with ‘embracing business continuity’.
Professional Practice Two (PP2) of the latest GPG is titled Embracing Business Continuity, a change that the BCI says supports a process of education and awareness of what is at stake and who will be impacted should a disruption strike. It reminds all staff (not just those involved in the Business Continuity Management System) and reinforces why the organization exists – what is its purpose and how people rely or depend on its products and services.
Embracing business continuity starts with understanding the organization’s business continuity culture and how this affects the way people in the organization view and relate to business continuity. It aims to change the organizational mindset regarding business continuity to ensure that everyone understands and believes why the organization must have protection from disruption.
The GPG is free as a PDF for BCI members. Non-members can obtain the GPG in the BCI Shop.
More details here.
