Disasters can strike at any time. Each year one in five organisations in the UK suffer a major disruption from incidents such as fires, floods, power failure or even terrorism.
Of those organisations without a business continuity plan in place, 80% never re-open, or they close down within 18 months. Despite these worrying statistics, less than 50% of all businesses are thought to have adequate continuity plans, particularly small and medium sized companies.
With disaster affecting one in five organisations, Neath Port Talbot businesses are being urged to prepare. ‘Business Continuity Awareness Week’ runs from 22nd to 26th March 2010 and, as part of this, the Joint Resilience Unit which supports Neath Port Talbot Council and the City and County of Swansea is launching a new business continuity self assessment tool. The tool will help companies develop their continuity plans to limit the impact that these disasters may cause.
Councillor Colin Morgan, Vice Chair of the Joint Resilience Committee for Neath Port Talbot and Swansea stated “Advising businesses and the voluntary sector about the importance of developing comprehensive business continuity plans is not only critical to them individually, but also to the communities they serve. The information made available during this week will enable businesses to know how to develop a business continuity plan and to identify what they need to do to keep their business running should it be affected by a local disaster.”
Along with the 10 minute user friendly self assessment tool, the Joint Resilience Unit has also created a new promotional leaflet. Both guides will assist businesses to develop their business continuity arrangements, helping to ensure that disaster does not lead to permanent closure. It is better to have a Business Continuity Plan and not need it, than to need the Plan and not have it! You can view these at www.npt.gov.uk/resilience and follow the ‘Business Continuity’ link.
Further information on Business Continuity can be found on the following websites:
The Business Continuity Institute: www.thebci.org
Continuity Forum: www.continuityforum.com
Continuity Central: www.continuitycentral.com
UK Resilience: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ukresilience
