ASIS International and BSI have released a joint American National Standard, Business Continuity Management Systems: Requirements with Guidance for Use (ANSI/ASIS/BSI BCM.1-2010). The standard provides auditable criteria with accompanying guidance for developing and implementing a business continuity management system that improves an organization’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disruptive event.
“This standard, which brought global experts in continuity management and contingency planning together, represents a consensus of business continuity management best practices,” says Marc Siegel, commissioner, ASIS Global Standards Initiative. “It provides a useful tool for any size or type of organization that wishes to enhance its preparedness performance and capabilities.”
Using the globally accepted ISO “plan-do-check-act” model, the ASIS/BSI business continuity management standard specifies requirements for planning, establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, exercising, maintaining, and improving a Business Continuity Management System.
“A viable business continuity plan is imperative for businesses to overcome unscheduled interruptions or disruptions,” said Todd VanderVen, president, BSI Group America “By working together, BSI and ASIS have produced a best-in-class Business Continuity Management System that empowers individuals to better manage risk and strengthen corporate stability.”
Upon implementing the Business Continuity Management System, an organization:
- Improves its ability to withstand disruptive events that may jeopardize its purpose, mission, and strategic objectives;
- Delivers a demonstrable capability to manage a disruption and protect stakeholder interests;
- Provides a structured and rehearsed method of restoring its productive ability within a planned timeframe after a disruption; and
- Promotes the safety and security of internal and external stakeholders.
“This standard provides management with the ability to plan past a business interruption and remain competitive,” stated Robert Whitcher, BSI’s product manager for business continuity. “By implementing the Business Continuity Management System Standard, a disruption need not become a corporate disaster.”
The ASIS/BSI Business Continuity Management Standard complements the ANSI/ASIS Organizational Resilience standard as well as BSI’s BS 25999 and addresses all the core elements of the DHS PS-Prep Program.
