Business Continuity Planning

Businesses are subject to many internal and external factors which are constantly changing, and managers must always be aware of these factors that can impact their business operations and growth. One of the most common threats to all institutions, including the university, is called business interruption (BI).

BI happens whenever a significant or radical change occurs and affects how the university operates in order to achieve its goals and missions. A BI could be caused by an occurrence that renders the current methods or process useless. A Business Impact Analysis (BIA) can assist with identifying these critical business functions.

BIA is an important tool to help develop a department COOP plan for the inevitability of consequences and their cost. Risk is always present and the better prepared the university is for these business disruptions, the more likely it will be able to continue critical functions and reaching its missions and goals.

What is Business Impact Analysis?

A method to predict the consequences of disruptions to a business, its processes and systems by collecting relevant data. This data can be used to develop strategies for the business to recover in the case of an emergency.

Why is it important?

• Identifies department critical business functions and impact.
• Management should have already prepared for these risks. A response created during a crisis will likely be random, and it will almost certainly be less effective.
• Prioritizes which critical business functions require immediate recovery and which can wait. It should also identify the impact factors (financial, reputational, legal, etc.).

Business Impact Analysis process

• Collecting the information necessary to make the analysis.
• Collected data must be documented and reviewed to prioritize a list of business functions or processes.
• Document the findings on each department to include their most critical business functions and processes, the impact of disruption, acceptable duration of the disruption, tolerable level of losses.

University System Administration Business Impact Analysis Guidelines - Formal guidelines providing the BIA program framework, management responsibilities and accountabilities.

Continuity of Operations

Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning is an initiative by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that prepares individuals, organizations, and communities through an all-hazards approach to address emergencies & disasters. A COOP Plan establishes a framework for processes and procedures to ensure critical mission essential functions continue during a disaster, and resources and personnel are in place, fostering recovering and resiliency.

What is COOP?

An effort within individual executive departments and agencies to ensure that Primary Mission essential Functions continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents and technological or attack-related emergencies.

Why is it important?

• Planning fosters recovery and survival in and after emergency situations.
• Establishes processes and procedures that allow for the continuation of essential functions when you can’t be in your normal workspace, or a significant portion of your staff is absent (COVID-19).

COOP - Planning Process

• Your planning team will include representatives from all parts of your department as well as with critical partners
• Planning takes an all-inclusive approach
• Establish your priorities and what your department deems essential
• You and your leadership are the Subject Matter Experts on what your department essential functions are
• Plans should be reviewed a minimum of once a year

Formal guidelines providing the COOP program framework, management responsibilities and accountabilities
COOP Software Guide - Presentation on how to use BoldPlanning.com , a web-based planning system.
If your department needs help getting access to ContinuityCU.com or help with developing or updating your COOP plan, email us at: riskmgmt@cu.edu