A business continuity plan (BCP) allows companies to prevent and recover from threats that affect day-to-day business operations, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, fires, floods, and pandemics.
A BCP should be developed before a disaster occurs and should include input from all stakeholders. The goal is to protect assets and ensure that operations continue during and after a crisis. A BCP should:
- Identify all risks, including how the risks will affect operations
- Implement procedures and safeguards that will lessen the risks
- Test to ensure the process works well
- Review the process to make sure it is current