Company policies should require that the business maintains a Business Continuity Plan for all (in scope) critical business processes. The plan is required to be comprehensive, effective, current and consistent with the company policy on BCP and comply with Australian Standards HB221 (Business Continuity Management) and AS4360 (Risk Management Process).

 Objectives of the plan

The plan provides processes for managing the business consequences of a disaster resulting in:

• The Primary place of business being unavailable.

• Essential staff being unavailable

• Essential facilities (e.g. computers, phones, power, water) being unavailable.

The processes will:

• Ensure the business’s critical functions can continue to provide an acceptable level of service to clients and customers

• Maintain client and customer confidence

• Meet ethical and legal obligations to clients, customers, employees, agents, suppliers, regulatory authorities, shareholders and the community

• Minimise financial loss

• Protect assets and profit-earning ability

Critical to a Plan:

• ImplimentationIT Disaster Recovery Plan