Business continuity management

Business continuity is the capability of an organisation to continue delivering its critical activities to pre-defined levels during a disruptive incident.

(ISO22301:2014)

Business Continuity enhances an organisation’s resilience by putting in place arrangements to help it respond to, and recover from, disruptive incidents effectively and efficiently. It provides reassurance which allows the organisation to focus on growth and development with confidence.

The University aims to be a resilient organisation with robust Business Continuity Management, enabling the continued delivery of critical services that support its strategic objectives of Leadership in Learning and Leadership in Research.

Strategic direction for Business Continuity is set by the University Executive, and is detailed in the Business Continuity Management Policy and Framework.

The University’s Business Continuity Management

• Respects the University’s devolved responsibility model and, where appropriate, values flexibility to ensure Schools and Departments can develop arrangements that meet their own specific needs and priorities
• Is informed by the International ISO22301:2014 Societal security – Business continuity management systems
• Is supported by senior management
• Requires all Schools and Departments to have effective BCM in place, to demonstrate continual improvement of their BCM arrangements and to embed BCM in decision-making processes.

For more information and for practical advice on implementing Business Continuity Management, conducting a Business Impact Analysis and the various tools and templates available, please visit the University of Edinburgh Business Continuity Management Toolkit or contact the University Business Continuity Manager.