Organizational activities are the actions and processes that an organization performs to achieve its objectives and deliver its products and services. These activities are exposed to innumerable threats that have the potential to compromise the achievement of corporate goals. These threats can be internal orexternal, natural or man-made, intentional or accidental, and can affect the organization’s resources, capabilities, reputation, and continuity. Some examples of threats that can disrupt organizational activities are:
Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, storms, fires, or pandemics
Cyber-attacks, such as hacking, malware, ransomware, denial-of-service, or data breaches
Human errors, such as mistakes, negligence, or miscommunication
Malicious acts, such as sabotage, theft, fraud, vandalism, or terrorism
Supply chain issues, such as delays, shortages, quality problems, or contractual disputes
Regulatory changes, such as new laws, standards, or policies that affect the organization’s operations or compliance
Market changes, such as shifts in customer demand, preferences, or expectations, or increased competition or innovation
Social changes, such as changes in demographics, culture, values, or behaviors that affect the organization’s stakeholders or environment To protect against these threats and ensure the continuity of organizational activities, organizations need to implement a business continuity management system (BCMS) that follows the requirements of ISO 22301. A BCMS is a set of policies, procedures, and practices that enable an organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptions when they arise. A BCMS helps an organization to identify its critical activities, assess the risks and impacts of potential disruptions, develop strategies and plans to mitigate and manage the disruptions, and test and improve the effectiveness of the BCMS. By implementing a BCMS, an organization can enhance its resilience, reduce its losses, and maintain its reputation and customer satisfaction. References: : What is ISO 22301 standard and what is its purpose? : Building Business Resilience: A Guide to ISO 22301 Certification : ISO 22301:2019(en), Security and resilience ? Business continuity management systems ? Requirements
