Does your organisation have a plan on how to handle unexpected outages or disruptions? 

In the past three years, 97% of global IT leaders have reported experiencing at least one IT brownout, with 51% reporting an increase in downtime since the beginning of 2020. There are numerous potential causes for unplanned downtime and just as many aspects of your supply chain that can be hit.  

As recent global events have shown us, it is crucial that businesses have disruption resilient operations. The question, then, is what can you do to mitigate any potential fallout?

To help, Steve Byrom, Business Consultant at Huddersfield-based Synergos Consultancy has shared his insight into how ensuring your business is ISO 22301 certified can keep it safe from any unexpected issues.

What is ISO 22301?

ISO 22301 is the International Standard for Business Continuity Management System. The BCMS was developed to ensure that businesses and organisations were protected from any unexpected downtime due to disruption and disaster.    

By gaining an ISO 22301 certification, you can show stakeholders that your business is prepared for any eventuality. Being BCMS certified will ensure that not only does your organisation navigate through any disruption smoothly, but that it will recover quickly from any given misfortune and thrive. 

The core tenets of ISO 22310 are:

  • Leadership
  • Planning
  • Support
  • Operations
  • Evaluation
  • Improvement

ISO 2301 has been designed to integrate seamlessly with other ISO standards, such as Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001) and Information Security Systems (ISO 27001). Many of the standards share core structures, allowing for easy adoption.

 

Does my organisation need ISO 22301?

Any unplanned disruption to your business can lead to a severe loss of revenue, market share, data breaches and failure to deliver client services as promises. While ISO 22301 is not mandatory for any business or organisation, being in possession of certification can protect your business from sustaining damage to its reputation should any unexpected downtime occur.

 

How will ISO 22301 benefit my organisation?

There are a number of benefits that ISO 22301 certification can bring:

  • Increased business resilience
  • Preferred supplier status
  • Attract new customers and opportunities
  • Improve processes
  • Demonstrate a commitment to data protection
  • Durability through disruption
  • Continuous internal improvement
  • Qualify during the tender process
  • Increased revenue

 

How does ISO 22301 work?

There are five stages to ISO 22301 certification, these are:

1.Initial assessment.           

 Determines if the mandatory requirements are met and if the management systems are in place.

2. Secondary assessment.   

Determines the effectiveness of the systems in place and confirms that the management system is functional.

3. Review.

Any points of concern raised thus far are addressed. Certification can be recommended upon satisfaction.

4. Certification Review.

An independent panel reviews your organisation’s files and systems, and a decision is made on certification.

5. Award.

Successful reviews are certified, and ISO 22301 certificates are awarded.

 

Where can I obtain ISO 22301?

Your organisation can gain an ISO 22301 certification by contacting Synergos Consultancy. The expert consultants at Synergos will ensure your organisation has all the policies, procedures and documentation it needs to complete the certification. Simply visit their contact page and get in touch today.