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06 Promotion of Business Continuity Management by Local Authorities
This chapter to be reviewed by November 2008
Summary
- The Act requires local authorities to provide advice and assistance to those undertaking commercial activities and to voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity management.
- Local authorities must provide general advice and assistance to the business and voluntary sector communities at large; may provide specific advice and assistance to individual organisations; and may give advice and assistance to individual businesses in relation to the engagement of business continuity consultants
- Local authorities should consider how to use the arrangements for multi-agency co-operation established by the Act to ensure BCM advice and assistance programmes are co-ordinated and effective.
- Local authorities will need time to establish the skills, networks and materials to give advice and assistance to business and voluntary organisations. The duty will come fully into force six months after the other duties in the Act.
- This chapter also sets out the considerations local authorities should take into account when developing a programme of advice and assistance (e.g. key messages, established support networks).
Introduction
6.1 Experience has shown that organisations that have business continuity arrangements in place are more likely to survive and to recover quickly from the effects of an emergency than those that do not.
6.2 The important role that the community itself plays in response to emergencies is recognised in the duty on local authorities to give advice and assistance to business and voluntary organisations.
6.3 Taking forward a programme of business continuity advice and assistance will deliver clear benefits to local authorities and other Category 1 and 2 responders. Firstly, by helping to build community resilience it will reduce reliance on public sector bodies in the event of an emergency, enabling Category 1 and 2 responders to focus their resources on the most vulnerable. Secondly, it will help improve links between Category 1 and 2 responders, the business community and voluntary sector that are crucial for effective emergency management arrangements.
What do organisations need to know?
6.4 Each organisation is responsible for its own business continuity arrangements. There are two principal motivating factors for organisations considering whether to adopt BCM arrangements, the risks they face associated with emergencies and their ability to positively influence their own position in emergencies.
6.5 There are four principal classes of information that organisations require when assessing the need for, developing, implementing or reviewing business continuity arrangements:
- the kinds of disruption which could occur and the impacts they may have (for example, loss of utilities or access to premises);
- the arrangements that Category 1 responders have in place to assess risk, prepare, respond and recover from emergencies and their implications for business and voluntary organisations (for example, evacuation or recovery plans);
- the steps they can take to prepare for or mitigate the effects of an emergency (for example, implement BCM or prepare fall back plans); and
- sources of warnings, information and advice in the event of an emergency.
6.6 Levels of BCM awareness and activity will vary considerably between organisations. In some cases the challenge will be to raise BCM as an issue for managers, in others it will be to refine BCM plans to take account of changing risks. Local authorities need to ensure that their promotional message is suitable for a diverse audience.
6.7 Experience has shown that providing timely advice and assistance for organisations in the immediate aftermath of an emergency can assist recovery. While local authorities and other responders may choose to build upon their duties to provide information for the public, legislation does not require them to do so.
Delivering a programme of advice and assistance
6.8 The Act does not specify which part of the local authority should fulfil the duty to provide BCM advice. On the one hand, staff involved in emergency planning, who will be familiar with local risks and response arrangements, are well placed to give advice. On the other hand, staff involved in the economic development or voluntary sector support function will have contacts with local businesses, voluntary bodies and their representatives and the provision of business continuity advice and assistance may be seen to be a straightforward extension of their work. More probably, a collaborative effort between a number of functional areas will be required.
Generic advice and assistance
6.9 There are a number of ways of providing generic advice and assistance to the business community at large and voluntary organisations. The most suitable methods will depend in part on the expertise, networks and resources available to local authorities and the willingness of the local business and voluntary sector community to engage. They include:
- The web - local authorities could use their own websites for the promotion of business continuity in their area or set up a dedicated website with local partners. In addition to specific advice on business continuity, the site could direct businesses to other sources of information about civil protection issues, including the CRR and other responders' sites. These pages could also provide links to other sites offering guidance. See "Further sources of information" below.
- Advertorials - articles in suitable publications may also be used to raise awareness of business continuity issues or to direct readers to relevant materials. Local authorities may also publish a variety of directories and other documents that might be used to promote BCM. A further option would be to seek space in publications issued by partners to the target audience.
- Press releases - press releases on local activities to promote BCM can also generate interest from the press, radio and television broadcasters.
- Mailings - local authorities and their partners correspond with the business and voluntary communities in a variety of ways. For example, business rates letters and calls for bids for grant allocation. These could contain reference to materials on BCM.
- Facilitating or hosting events - local authorities may choose to organise their own BCM events. For example, they could host a local business continuity fair or seminar. They could collaborate through SCGs to deliver an event jointly. A seminar or fair could also be used to launch a new BCM forum. The costs incurred by local authorities could be met by charging a small attendance fee, inviting firms to sponsor such events or by seeking collaboration from business or voluntary sector representative bodies. Organisations such as the Scottish Continuity Group and the Business Continuity Institute's Scotland Forum have an interest in promoting BCM in Scotland and joint working between local authorities and professional bodies should be considered.
- Participation in seminars and similar events - alternatively existing events/seminars targeted at businesses or the voluntary sector could be used to raise awareness on BCM promotion. These events could also be provided with sources of information on BCM either provided by the local authority or third parties.
- Establishing a business continuity forum - local authorities could facilitate the formation of business continuity forums and encourage members of the business community to join. Not only would a forum promote business continuity management, it could also help to consolidate a local network within which businesses and responders can learn from each other.
6.10 Local authorities and their partners already engage with the business and voluntary sector communities in a variety of ways, for example, in emergency planning or social care. Existing networks and communication links could provide a strong basis for developing a business continuity forum looking at BCM or emergency planning issues in the round. Business continuity forums could be used to strengthen the links between businesses and SCGs. Examples include Leeds City Council's City Centre Network (see www.leeds.gov.uk emergency planning pages) and Norfolk County Council's Norfolk Major Incident Team ( NORMIT) (see www.normit.org).
Specific advice and assistance
6.11 Regardless of whether local authorities decide to provide specific information and advice to businesses or voluntary organisations that request further support or to refer them to a third party, they should consider developing a documented policy statement, in order to manage the expectations of local organisations and ensure consistency and fairness.
6.12 Local authorities should also be aware of professional liability issues when giving specific advice and assistance. In order to reduce the risk of claims of negligence or breach of contract, local authorities should:
- only become involved in areas where they are competent and experienced enough to give advice and assistance;
- be clear about the status and limits of advice;
- clearly flag up areas of uncertainty or assumptions that have been made; and
- consider the use of disclaimers where appropriate.
6.13 However, liability issues should not deter local authorities from giving detailed advice and assistance. If managed correctly, the risk of legal challenge is limited and far outweighed by the demand from organisations for support and the potential benefits in terms of community resilience.
6.14 Following the Bishopsgate bomb in 1993, the Corporation of London began giving business continuity advice and assistance to businesses based in the City of London. In addition to arranging presentations, briefings and literature, the Corporation offers one-to-one advice and assistance to businesses in the City. The business case for this work is clear - to build the resilience of the business community itself, ensuring that firms' own emergency plans dovetail with those of the Category 1 responders, thereby increasing their effectiveness and reducing reliance on Category 1 responders.
6.15 Details of the Corporations services can be found in "Resilient to Risk" that can be downloaded from: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/ourservices/laworder/securityplanning
6.16 The range of services provided by the Corporation has been demand-driven. The Corporation provides services for a wide range of organisations, from large multi-national corporations to small local firms. Experience has shown that demand is particularly strong for information about the public sector response to emergencies and what business can expect.
6.17 The Corporation of London will review and comment on the business continuity plans of firms in the City. However, it does not undertake a full third-party audit of these plans but gives companies the perspective of an informed outsider. It is generally the small and medium-sized companies who utilise this service. The comments the Corporation makes on these plans tend to be in the following categories:
- Facts: Is information contained in plans factually correct? Is it based on a correct interpretation of emergency services procedures?
- Assumptions: Are the planning assumptions unrealistic? For example, that no staff members will be affected by the incident or that all senior managers are available in their offices 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
- Incident management: Are plans sufficiently clear on who does what?
- Communication: How is the plan communicated to staff, particularly those with a role in implementing it, in advance of an incident? How does the call-out system operate? Once an incident occurs, how does the company maintain the appropriate communication channels?
6.18 The Corporation does not seek to provide the "right" answer but to make observations and suggestions and offer a constructive challenge. The company will then need to decide for itself if it wishes to address the issues or not.
6.19 Current provision of specific business continuity advice and assistance by local authorities is not limited to London and the major cities as the Norfolk Major Incident Team ( NORMIT) referred to above demonstrates.
Referring organisations to a third party
6.20 The local authority should avoid giving definitive recommendations or endorsing individual consultants. Its role is to direct firms to organisations that could assist them and suggest the criteria for selecting a service provider. These could include:
- professional qualifications/certification;
- membership of a professional organisation;
- experience in relevant aspects of BCM;
- track record of completing similar tasks; and
- adequate professional indemnity insurance.
6.21 The Business Continuity Institute ( BCI) www.thebci.org provides a certification scheme for business continuity professionals. It publishes a list of consultants it deems to be experienced, qualified and competent in particular areas and operates a code of practice for members. The BCI is a useful source of advice on commissioning consultants. The local authority can also facilitate the sharing of feedback on consultants by maintaining records of the organisations who have sought its advice about the engagement of a third party.
6.22 Nonetheless, the local authority will need to make it clear to firms that the choice of consultant is their sole responsibility and that the local authority shall not be liable for any damage or loss suffered as a result.
The Strategic Co-ordinating Group and BCM advice to the community
6.23 The arrangements for multi-agency co-operation established by the Act will establish a framework for effective civil protection. BCM promotion is an integral part of the wider package of civil protection activity and requires multi-agency cooperation and information sharing to be effective.
6.24 Local authorities will want to consider how this wider framework can assist to deliver the co-ordination and support required for effective BCM advice and assistance activity. Much can be achieved through informal networking nonetheless there may be some merit in formalising co-operation. This could take the form of:
- regular discussions at tactical level liaison groups;
- establishing a community resilience subgroup of the SCG that could include local business and voluntary sector interests and facilitate joint activity (forum, seminars, conferences); or
- discussion at SCG meetings.
6.25 The approach taken will depend, in large part, on the nature of the local authorities' programmes, the means used to deliver the message and the extent of the involvement of other agencies in the process. However, the Government believes it is good practice for the full SCG to discuss BCM promotion work at least annually.
Identifying and engaging other external partners
6.26 Local authorities should also consider engaging partners in the process of providing information, advice and assistance for organisations that carry on commercial activities and to voluntary organisations. This should prove useful in communicating with firms and gaining their buy-in, providing support in organising events or forums and as a source of BCM expertise.
6.27 Local authorities have established links with the business community, which could be utilised when promoting BCM (For example, Economic Development Units, City Centre Development Units, Community Safety and Community Planning teams). They also have close links with voluntary organisations, which are often engaged as partners in service delivery and may be recipients of grants.
6.28 There are a number of groups that represent the business community or sections of it. They include organisations such as Confederation of British Industry, Chambers of Commerce, and Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland.
6.29 Councils for Voluntary Service ( CVS) are voluntary organisations which are set up locally to support, promote and develop local voluntary and community action. They may also be known by other names but have the same purpose. CVS provides a useful way to identify and engage with the local voluntary sector community. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations ( SCVO) also supports its members, including CVS, by providing a range of services and acting as a voice for the voluntary and community sector. More information on SCVO can be found at www.scvo.org.uk
6.30 There are also a number of public sector bodies which can provide advice, assistance and support to local organisations. These include higher education institutions and colleges of further education that could be effective partners in the promotion of BCM through their business courses.
6.31 There are a number of organisations that exist to promote the take-up and standards of business continuity. They include the BCI, Scottish Continuity Group, Survive and the Emergency Planning Society. There are also professional bodies or institutes with a wider professional and management remit that may provide access into the business community in an area.
6.32 Commercial organisations providing a range of BCM services may be willing to sponsor business continuity initiatives or events.
6.33 Experience has shown that gaining the support of larger firms is important in taking forward a BCM promotion programme. Larger firms are more likely to be familiar with the disciplines of BCM and may already have established relationships with Category 1 and 2 responders. They may provide useful support in establishing business continuity seminars and forums and give assistance in raising the profile of BCM within the local business community. Professional services (banks, accountants, consultants) may be willing to distribute literature to clients.
6.34 It is also important not to forget the role that government can play in providing information and support for BCM promotion work. The Scottish Executive will work with stakeholders and provide information for local authorities. Further information is accessible via www.ukresilience.info
Targeting advice
Size of organisations
6.35BCM arrangements are crucial to the sustainability of all organisations. Local authorities should not assume that business continuity is well established in the large national or multi-national companies or large well-established voluntary organisations in their area. Small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) are also crucial for Scotland's economy, accounting for a large proportion of employment in the private sector and a significant element of Scottish business turnover. SMEs accounted for 99% of the 243,000 businesses active in Scotland in November 2001 and represented 50% of non-government employment. 1
6.36 Promotional materials should be appropriate to the needs of businesses. While the underpinning principles remain the same, the approach to a small family business will need to be different from that to a large, well-established firm. Local authorities will need to be proactive in engaging the SME community and ensure that materials are pitched at the right level.
6.37 It may be helpful to think of the business community in terms of the following definitions used by the Department of Trade and Industry:
- Micro firm: 0-9 employees
- Small firm: 0-49 employees
- Medium firm: 50-249 employees
- Large firm: Over 250 employees
Added value
6.38 Local authorities may wish to focus initially on organisations that may be well placed to give support to the programme by helping to raise awareness or by offering practical support. It may also be helpful to engage organisations that are able to provide support or resources for responders or the wider community, in the event of an emergency.
Developing a BCM advice and assistance programme: transitional provisions
6.39 In order to ensure that they can fulfil the requirements of the business continuity advice and assistance duty when it comes fully into force, local authorities will need to undertake the necessary preparations. Some of the stages local authorities may need to take in developing a programme of business continuity advice and assistance are:
- Stage 1 - Identify the requirements of the legislation
- Ensure familiarity with the requirements of the legislation as set out in the Act, the Regulations and guidance.
- Stage 2 - Assess the implications of the legislation
- Review existing work in the light of the requirements of the Act - are there gaps to be filled? Are there synergies between wider emergency planning work and the requirements under the Act?
What are the implications for the skills mix of the local authority? Do staff have the skills and experience necessary to undertake the work required?
Consider the case for collaborative arrangements with other local authorities - establish clear roles and responsibilities where appropriate. - Stage 3 - Identify the target audience
- Identify the audience for the work and identify its needs. What are the patterns of commercial and voluntary activity in your area? What is the level of awareness of, and commitment to, BCM? This may involve a mixture of desk research and market testing.
- Stage 4 - Formalise programme of work with partners
- There is a wide range of existing networks and partnerships that can support the work. What can partners bring to the table? How will partners work together?
Through SCG make contact with other Category 1 and 2 responders undertaking business continuity work with businesses. What are they doing? How can Category 1 and 2 responders work together to meet mutual objectives?
Draw up a co-ordinated programme to fulfil duties jointly or individually. - Stage 5 - Identify resource implications
- The availability of resources - human as well as financial - will be a key driver and it is important to establish the parameters early on. While the duty to promote BCM falls on local authorities, resources may be available from elsewhere. The local authority can act as an 'enabler' in a public-private partnership. (see references to NORMIT above) Local authorities will need to ensure that staff undertaking BCM advice and assistance work have the necessary skills and, if necessary, undertake appropriate training.
- Stage 6 - Develop objectives and strategies
- Clear objectives should be established in consultation with partners in the SCG and the message and target audience should be defined with reference to the CRR. Are proposed approaches coherent and will they be effective?
- Stage 7 - Assemble promotion materials
- There is a wide range of existing materials illustrating the importance of BCM and how to develop business continuity arrangements. Is there a need to develop further materials tailored to local circumstances? What form might these take, for example, printed material, CD-roms or web-based?
- Stage 8 - Identify means of delivery
- Choose means of delivery in the light of available resources and support from partners. Publicise events and services offered and formulate charging policy.
- Stage 9 - Delivery
- Begin delivering promotion programme by the date when the duty comes fully into force. Local authorities may wish to pilot their promotion programme or undertake a phased implementation. Take care to collect feedback along the way.
- Stage 10 - Evaluate and review programme
- Has the programme met its stated objectives? Has feedback been positive? How could it be improved or extended? What lessons can be learned from experience elsewhere in the country? Share experience with SCG and through SCG Forum influence the development of future guidance.
Future activity
6.40 A business continuity advice and assistance programme is essentially a continuous cycle of assessing the content and delivery of the promotion programme against the requirements of the legislation, assessments of risk, needs of the target audience and resources and support mechanisms available.
6.41 The programme and its development should be linked with the general review processes for risk assessment, planning, and warning, informing and advising the public. The target audience and its needs will change over time and thus the programme will reflect the maturity and effectiveness of local resilience. If local partnerships are successful, the role of the local authority will also change reflecting the contemporary needs of the community.
Further sources of information
6.42 These sources of information may prove useful in developing strategies and promotional material:
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