2.1 Securing Main Board Sponsorship and Support

Definitions

Planning Methodology

A planning methodology is a formally structured set of guidelines for the development of business continuity plans.

Securing main board sponsorship and support

Management sponsorship must be obtained prior to the commencement of the BC planning process. This is because bc planning does not contribute directly to the company's income and it is, therefore, placed below all revenue generating tasks in order of priority. An effective bc plan would reduce financial and other forms of loss in the event of a 'disaster' and this fact will encourage a small percentage of chief executives to sponsor the bc planning project.

If business continuity planning has been initiated because of a regulatory requirement or auditors report, management sponsorship should be relatively easy to obtain.

If the chief operating officer is unsure about the need for the project or about the need for his or her sponsorship, one or more of the following points can be presented.

Meeting contractual obligations, observing compliance rules, maintaining historical transaction records are all mandatory in certain 'industries' and contingency plans must exist to ensure that the company does not default in any of these areas.

The process can be completed in phases, if necessary. BC 'pilot' plans can be targeted at one or more specific areas of the business, thus minimising the interference with production.

Minimalist planning techniques can be employed, to keep project costs low. (see also Section 3.5 - Building a targeting strategy).

The chief operating officer should send a memorandum to senior and key staff, describing the objectives of the BC planning project and conveying the BC project manager's estimates about the likely time scale and the amount of time each level of management should allow for participation in the project.