| Managing terrorism threats can be very daunting | | | | place. |
| challenge for most business directors. Especially as | | | | This means that those directly impacted, suffering a |
| most business owners and directors have little if any | | | | major or even a minor loss may find it impossible to |
| formal security training to fall back on. Herein lies the | | | | continue to trade, particularly if they do not have |
| problem. | | | | terrorism insurance cover. |
| As a company director you have a legal responsibility | | | | Source: Vanson Bourne research, October 2004 |
| under the corporate manslaughter laws to ensure the | | | | Critical Incident Downside |
| safety of your paid employees. | | | | 80% of all businesses affected by serious incidents |
| Terrorism experts advise all business directors to | | | | never re-open, or close within 18 months. Business |
| take a proactive response to implementing security | | | | interruption hits companies in Customer Relationships. |
| awareness and staff training to counter terrorism | | | | Cash Flow. Reputation. Staff Moral. Understanding |
| threats to your business. Imagine for one moment | | | | incidents like fire, flood or computer failure, highlight |
| you are one of several business directors running a | | | | where long term damage is done. |
| company and you send one of your sales | | | | Firm - Too Small For A Business Continuity Plan? |
| representatives overseas to win a business order. | | | | The smaller your business, the more important it is to |
| Your business becomes a terrorism targets and your | | | | have a contingency plan in place. Any incident, no |
| representative is kidnapped and held for ransom. You | | | | matter how small, is capable of impacting your |
| have various options including paying the ransom, | | | | business & profitability. |
| which is typically cost prohibited unless you have | | | | The size of any continuity plan will depend on the |
| kidnap for ransom insurance. | | | | risks facing each business - it will be as large or as |
| Let's just imagine for one moment you don't have | | | | small as needed. |
| the money to pay the ransom and the jihad | | | | Small Businesses Hit Harder |
| terrorism kidnappers execute your sales | | | | The impact of any critical incident is likely to be more |
| representative as a warning to other businesses. | | | | pronounced for SME's. The majority of SME's operate |
| If you can't prove you prepared your sales | | | | in specialised markets with limited product ranges & |
| representative for his or her overseas business trip | | | | relatively small customer bases. |
| by ensuring they attended certified security | | | | Any short interruption to business can have a |
| awareness and/or a counter kidnapping training | | | | disproportionate effect, totally halting output & |
| programme. Then you and your fellow directors will | | | | leaving customers high & dry. Source: AXA Insurance. |
| be sued under corporate manslaughter laws. | | | | What Is Continuity Planning |
| One of the major problems facing business directors | | | | It's about anticipating crises that could befall a |
| is that they have no idea where to start when it | | | | business & planning for them. It sets out clear roles |
| comes to terrorism threats, terrorism targets, | | | | & responsibilities. It states who takes charge of |
| terrorism incidents, terrorism acts, security and | | | | specific roles. It lists a series of contingencies. Details |
| implementing a plan for countering terrorism. | | | | clear emergency procedures to ensure risks to staff |
| Every terrorism expert I know recognises that | | | | are minimised. |
| businesses, especially small to medium size businesses | | | | Business Continuity Plan |
| present as soft terrorism targets. It is also | | | | A business continuity plan sets out clear roles and |
| considered good practice by any terrorism expert | | | | responsibilities, for example those assigned to |
| skilled in countering business related terrorism to | | | | manage all liaison with Customers. Employees. |
| advise business directors to produce their own | | | | Emergency services. It lists a series of contingencies |
| internal threat management unit or TMU as it's known | | | | that enable key business activities to continue in the |
| in the terrorism expert industry. | | | | most difficult circumstances. |
| #1 Organise A Threat Management Unit (TMU) | | | | Threats To A Business |
| Organising a TMU need not be a time consuming or | | | | Examples of threats to a business are... |
| expensive endeavour. In its basic format a small | | | | A vital computer system is unavailable. Critical process |
| business TMU consists of the business owner and a | | | | machinery is damaged. Loss of key employees. The |
| security expert or a terrorism expert. | | | | building, or part of the building, cannot be accessed, |
| The terrorism expert conducts security research | | | | and... Suppliers are unable to deliver. |
| relevant to your specific business and then collates all | | | | Common Small Business Disasters |
| the available business intelligence relating to terrorism | | | | Fire/Flood Computer telecoms failure |
| threats, terrorism acts, jihad terrorism or any other | | | | Key equipment failure |
| terror incidents. | | | | People issues - illness, resignation, maternity leave |
| The terrorism expert then designs a specific security | | | | Denial of access to premises |
| plan for countering terrorism which your business | | | | Product defects |
| implements and updates as and when the terrorism | | | | Bomb - terrorism threats |
| expert recommends. Most terrorism experts also | | | | Legal regulatory action |
| recommend the TMU organises a series of certified | | | | Utilities failure |
| security awareness and kidnap awareness training | | | | Negative press or media coverage |
| programmes. | | | | Commercial Benefit Of A Continuity Plan |
| #2 Design A Business Continuity Plan | | | | There is also the commercial benefit to consider. |
| Designing a business continuity plan is usually one of | | | | Companies with business continuity plans are more |
| the first steps suggested by the terrorism expert | | | | attractive to do business with. |
| tasked with producing a TMU for your business. | | | | For example |
| I've included a hypothetical example, i.e. Management | | | | Large businesses that rely on the outsourced |
| Training Company Business Continuity Following A | | | | services of third parties will prefer to work with |
| Critical Incident | | | | suppliers who have a Business Continuity Plan in place. |
| The Issue | | | | Business Continuity Summary |
| The tragic events of Post Sept' 11th, in particular July | | | | 80% of all businesses affected by serious incidents |
| 7th 2005 in London, should make all HR managers | | | | never re-open, or close within 18 months. 46% of |
| think carefully about how prepared their business is | | | | London businesses do not have a business continuity |
| for any type of critical incident. | | | | plan in place. |
| We are all conducting business in uncertain times. | | | | Less than 20% of London Businesses have a |
| Protecting the future of the firm has to be the | | | | dedicated team to handle a major incident. |
| number one priority for every business manager. | | | | Barely a quarter (13%) of SMEs said they had |
| The Problem | | | | managed to test their business continuity plans. |
| Statistics suggest that almost half (46%) of London | | | | Insurers are now seriously looking at how a business, |
| businesses do not have a business continuity plan in | | | | plans for a major incident before insuring them. |