Business Continuity Policy Template

Template Overview
The purpose of this Business Continuity Policy Template is to define the Business Continuity Program and
associated objectives, including roles and responsibilities.
The detailed objectives, scope, limitations, and exclusions surrounding the program should be documented in
a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document, which expands upon the policies stated here.
Remember, templates are just a starting point and should be customized as necessary to fit the unique needs
of your organization and program.

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Contents
Cover Page ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Objectives and Scope ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Objectives ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Scope................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Roles and Responsibilities..................................................................................................................................... 5
Business Continuity Steering Committee ......................................................................................................... 5
Business Continuity Program Sponsor .............................................................................................................. 5
Business Continuity Program Manager ............................................................................................................ 5
Business Continuity Plan Owners ..................................................................................................................... 6
History Log ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

TERMS OF USE
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
View a copy of this license online, or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

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Cover Page
Title:
Owners:
Contributors:
Last Updated:
Last Approved:
Status:

Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to define the Business Continuity Program and associated objectives, including
roles and responsibilities, for [Insert Company Name]. However, the detailed objectives, scope, limitations
and exclusions surrounding the program are documented in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
document, which expands upon the policies stated here.
The Business Continuity Program will enable a timely, effective response and recovery effort following a
business or technology interruption to any key company location or process. The various components of the
Business Continuity Program include:

 Business Continuity Program Structure Definition

 Analysis
 Strategy Identification
 Strategy Implementation
 Training and Awareness
 Program Management
Business Continuity Program strategies and documentation (including this policy document) are reviewed at
planned intervals and when significant changes occur within the organization.

Objectives and Scope

Objectives
Business Continuity Program objectives include the following:

 Protecting the safety of employees and visitors

 Managing the threats and impacts associated with an interruption to critical operations, including a
facility interruption or loss of resources (including personnel, technologies, and business partners).
 Reducing business continuity risk through four approaches:
o An appropriate and proactive control environment designed to decrease the likelihood of a
disruptive event;
o Strategies to effectively respond to a crisis;

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 o Plans to recover critical business activities within stakeholder expectations; and
o The ability to maintain consistent communication with personnel and clients.

Scope
The Business Continuity Program addresses the operations at [Insert Street Address, City, State, Zip
Code]. The scope of the Business Continuity Program includes the following key products and services (or
locations):

 [Insert Key Product and Service or Location 1]

 [Insert Key Product and Service or Location X]

Roles and Responsibilities

Business Continuity Steering Committee
The Business Continuity Steering Committee (BCSC) is responsible for oversight of the business continuity
program. The committee shall include the program manager and others who have the expertise and
knowledge of the organization and have decision making authority, as determined by the Program
Sponsor. The members of the BCSC are responsible for:

 Reviewing and validating all analysis activities, strategy options, and organizational changes that may
affect the performance of the business continuity program.
 Providing support for the program and ensuring resources are available as needed to support the
program.

Business Continuity Program Sponsor

The Business Continuity Program Sponsor will be appointed by the CEO and promotes business continuity
expectations and culture in alignment with the business strategy. This role is specifically responsible for:

 Leading the BCSC

 Advocating relevance and awareness of the program.
 Increasing the effectiveness of the program to mitigate business impact and risk in the event of a
crisis.
 Reviewing and approving recommended recommendations and outcomes (such as plans and
reports) from the program.
 Authorizing funding for program activities and implementation of approved business continuity
strategies.

Business Continuity Program Manager

The Business Continuity Program Manager retains day-to-day responsibility for the management of the
business continuity program. The program manager reports to the BCSC and is authorized to develop,
implement, administer, evaluate, and maintain the program. It is also the program manager’s responsibility
to review and approve assessment and strategy decisions in a timely manner and request the resources to
enable the business continuity program, through:

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  Program Administration
 Governance Management
 BCSC Coordination
The program manager enlists employees and third-parties to lead and/or participate in business continuity
activities. The program manager is responsible for identifying performance objectives for program
requirements with assistance from employees. These objectives will address both short-term and long-term
needs of the company. The program manager will ensure all program components are compliant with
applicable legislation, regulations, directives, policies, and industry codes of practice.

Business Continuity Plan Owners

Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Owners are responsible for the execution of all applicable elements of the
business continuity lifecycle for their location, business process, or technology (as applicable). This includes,
but is not limited to, participation in business impact analysis and risk assessment, strategy development,
plan documentation/maintenance, and exercise activities, adhering to the frequency outlined within the
SOP. Plan owners must have adequate business continuity knowledge and abilities, as well as the authority
to make business continuity-related decisions within their areas.

History Log
VERSION DATE ACTION

1 [Insert] [Insert]