ISO 22301:2019 -Business Continuity Management Systems
The ISO introduced the latest version of ISO 22301 in 2019. This framework includes strategies, standards, and requirements organisations can use to implement a business continuity management system (BCMS).
To appeal to and assist the most comprehensive array of organisations, ISO 22301 includes generic regulatory requirements that organisations can implement to improve organisational resilience in various contexts. The extent to which an organisation must implement each requirement will significantly depend upon the organisation’s type, size, industry, and overall nature.
Keep reading to discover more about ISO 22301, the benefits of implementing an ISO-certified BCMS, and the importance of constructing a comprehensive business continuity plan.
ISO 22301:2019 is the latest rendition of ISO 22301, initially released in 2012. The framework is the leading international standard for business continuity management systems and explores strategies organisations can implement to mitigate disruptions and develop strong business plans.
While the standards of ISO 22301:2012 and ISO 22301:2019 are similar, the latest rendition was released to streamline the implementation of BCMS standards and expand upon several concepts to address the needs and challenges a broader range of organisations faces. Both renditions of ISO 22301 communicate the need for management review and involvement and the importance of business resilience, especially in an era where cyber attacks are becoming more prevalent and severe.
What is a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS)?
A BCMS combines emergency management strategies, information security tactics, and disaster recovery principles that allow an organisation to recover and maintain operations during crises, such as an IT system failure or cybersecurity breach.
All comprehensive business continuity management systems will include a business continuity plan (BCP). A BCP outlines how an organisation will respond when faced with an emergency or severe disruption.
While an organisation’s BCP will be specific to its needs, industry, and challenges, most BCPs include some combination of the following critical elements:
- Business impact analysis (BIA): The process of identifying and assessing the impact potential disruptive incidents (anything from a cyber attack to a natural disaster) could cause and the business operations they would affect
- Risk assessments: Risk management procedures to assess potential risks and prioritize business processes to protect in various crisis management situations
- Business continuity strategy: An outline of the steps an organisation will take to mitigate interruptions, improve recovery time, and keep the business running in the event of a disruption
- Recovery team: Key personnel from all departments of the organisation that will execute the organisation’s business continuity strategy and oversee communications to key stakeholders and interested parties
- Communication plan: Protocols that outline what team members will be responsible for communicating critical information to internal and external parties during a disruption
Benefits of a Business Continuity Management System
Unpredictable events can cause disruptions to any successful business. Creating and maintaining a comprehensive BCMS is the best way for an organisation to identify, assess, and plan for disruptions. Overall, business continuity management systems allow organisations to:
- Maintain business operations during disruptive incidents
- Recover operations quickly after interruptions occur
- Reduce the impact and cost of any disruption
- Reduce the duration of any disruption
- Reduce costs and time of any disruption
- Install risk management strategies and risk mitigation tactics
- Develop a culture of continual improvement
- Forge customer trust and build confidence
- Protect organisational and industry reputation
- Develop internal confidence and good practice
- Comply with legal and industry regulatory requirements
Why is ISO 22301 Important?
ISO 22301 is critical for organisations looking to improve their contingency planning and disaster recovery strategies because the framework includes management system standards to elevate all areas of an operation. ISO constructs all of its frameworks with similar elements to consider the same principles of an organisation. These principles include:
- Context of the organisation (understanding needs, compliance risk assessments, subsidiary risk)
- Leadership (roles and responsibilities, compliance officers, anti-bribery management systems, and compliance framework obligations)
- Planning (implementation, objectives, planning for changes)
- Support (resources, awareness, communication)
- Operation (internal controls, sustainability, due diligence)
- Performance evaluation (internal audits, top management review)
- Improvement (promoting a culture of continuous improvement)
In addition to being a comprehensive framework, ISO 22301 is also certifiable, meaning organisations can achieve certification with ISO 22301 and demonstrate the prowess of their BCMS to potential customers, clients, third-party partners, and other interested parties throughout their industry.
Benefits of ISO 22301
When an organisation meets the requirements of ISO 22301, it becomes better equipped to handle disruptions and maintains a better grasp on the risks that could affect daily operations. Given ISO 22301 includes standards that aim to improve all aspects of an organisation, its benefits are somewhat endless. Most organisations that pursue ISO 22301 certification will at least inherit the following benefits:
- Continue to meet business objectives during emergency events and times of crisis
- Increase organisation-wide preparedness to deal with unforeseen interruptions
- Gain a competitive advantage over organisations that do not meet ISO standards
- Foster an exceptional reputation and credibility within the industry
- Develop excellent organisational resilience and business continuity
- Decrease downtime and the impact of disruptive incidents
- Meet the demands of all legal and regulatory requirements
- Establish protocols to conduct internal assessments using critical metrics
Certification process
- Complete a profiling form to customize a quote for your organization detailing the cost, planning and time required.
- Conduct a pre-audit to determine if your organization already fulfills the requirements for REACH and identify areas for improvement.
- Stage 1 site visit by our auditors to verify the profile submitted during your application and determine your readiness for Stage 2.
- Stage 2 on-site audit by MOODY auditors.
- Propose and implement corrective actions, if any.
- Receive your audit report and certificate from the committee.
Why choose MOODY?
MOODY is a global leader in management systems solutions, having issued various management systems certifications to date. Our dedicated and experienced auditors across the globe can speak your language and help you explore the possibility of integrating your ISO 22301:2019 -Business Continuity Management Systems certification initiative with other management systems. We can also act as a one-stop provider for all your quality certification needs by offering bundled product testing and certification services. With the MOODY certification mark, you demonstrate your commitment to delivering quality products and services.