Strong interest shown in business continuity certification

The comments came just a day after the second part of BS 25999 was published. Part two of the standard aims to help organisations show they can meet a set of business continuity requirements, and therefore prove to others they have adequate continuity procedures in place.

It follows BS 25999-1, published last November, which was more of a "guide" to business continuity practice than a "specification" for a continuity management system - as is the case with part two.

Although the final version of BS 25999-2 was only published yesterday, two organisations have already achieved certification - supply chain management firm TDG plc and IT and continuity specialists SunGard Availability Services.

Flemming Norklit, managing director of BSI Management Systems said demand for certification to BS 25999 was "like nothing previously experienced in the world of standards, not only in the UK but all over the world."

'Knock-on effect'

Norwich Union Risk Services (NURS) continuity specialist Alan Trueman said a healthy interest in certification should encourage more businesses to become "better prepared" for disruption and disaster.

"If a good number of organisations adhere to BS 25999 and promote their achievement of certification, then awareness of the standard - and its credibility - should grow. Hopefully the knock-on effect would be to encourage more firms to improve their own business continuity plans," he said.

TDG's Simon Beesley said he believed that achieving certification would give his company a competitive edge.

"Our major clients such as supermarket retailers have long insisted that we prove we have solid plans in place to provide business continuity and thus assurance of supply," he explained. "Now that we have BSI’s certificate, proving that fact is significantly easier. We will now be insisting on it from our suppliers and expect it to be widely adopted throughout our industry."

Standards improving

Figures from BSI, also published this week, showed that UK businesses were now better prepared for disruption or disaster compared to two years ago.

The research revealed that 42% of businesses had reviewed their approach to continuity planning following the London and Glasgow terror alerts in June 2007, and over a third following the widespread flooding throughout summer 2007.

The research also found 81% of FTSE 250 companies would expect to last up to one week before feeling serious detrimental effects following disruption or disaster while, almost two thirds (63%) were now "very well prepared" for catastrophic IT failure compared to only 27% in 2005.

Half of firms were ready for a forced office relocation and 47% were fully prepared for a comprehensive supply chain failure. These figures were just 15% and 18% respectively two years ago.