Business Continuity Management (BCM)

Helping our businesses run when there is an emergency.

Emergencies can happen anywhere at any time. Even a small disruption such as a power cut can affect normal operation of an organisation. Regardless of the type or size of an organisation it is essential that day-to-day activities can continue.

Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a process that helps to manage the risks to the smooth running of an organisation and aims to ensure it can continue to operate during a disruption.

Risks could be from an external source (e.g. power outage, severe weather/ flooding) or from within an organisation (e.g. system failure, loss of key staff).

The purpose of BCM is to facilitate the recovery of key business activities within agreed timeframes. BCM is about thinking ahead, planning for any disruption and ensuring alternative arrangements are in place to enable an organisation to recover more quickly.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004, required all Local Authorities to have business continuity arrangements in place. The Act also requires Local Authorities to provide general business continuity advice to local businesses and voluntary organisations.

Please note that the Swine and Pandemic Flu - Information for businesses and voluntary organisations page has been temporarily removed.

Local Business & Voluntary Organisations Is your business prepared for the unexpected?

County Council Gloucestershire County Council developed its own BCM strategy in 2003, prior to the requirement under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, to have BCM arrangements in place.