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Professions are characterized by a body of knowledge shared by members of the profession and used in their work. Specific skills, tasks or activities for the profession emerge and evolve from a set of subject areas of a common body of knowledge that characterize the profession. In the Business Continuity Planning profession, this common body of knowledge is the Professional Practices for the Business Continuity Planner. This body of knowledge is accepted by both DRI International and by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) based in the United Kingdom .
The existence of such a body of knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient evidence of the existence of the profession. General acceptance requires proper application and periodic updates to the body of knowledge for success in the profession. Both DRI International and BCI are committed to joint maintenance and acceptance of the Professional Practices.
This document defines the boundaries of the business continuity planning profession and the base of knowledge that qualifies one for DRI certification as an Associate Business Continuity Planner (ABCP); Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP); or Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP). Likewise, the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) uses the Professional Practices as the basis for their examination procedures for Membership of the Business Continuity Institute (MBCI) and Fellowship of the Business Continuity Institute (FBCI).
For DRI International certification purposes, practitioners must demonstrate continuing involvement and experience in business continuity planning, in addition to successful completion of a written examination based on the Professional Practices. Demonstrated experience must relate to the content of the common body of knowledge.
Joint adoption of this body of knowledge by both DRI International and BCI, effective August 28, 2003,recognizes the term Business Continuity Management to define holistic management processes that identify potential impacts that threaten an organisation and provide a framework for building resilience with the capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of its key stakeholders, reputation and value creating activities.
The primary objective of Business Continuity Management is to allow business operations to continue under adverse conditions, by the introduction of appropriate resilience strategies, recovery objectives, business continuity and crisis management plans in collaboration with, or as a key component of, an integrated risk management initiative.
The ten sections of these standards are not presented in any particular order of importance or sequence, as it may be necessary to undertake or implement sections in parallel during the development of a BCM program.
Each subject area in this document provides:
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A description of the subject area
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The role of the professional
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An outline of the knowledge that the professional should demonstrate within each subject area
Illustrative examples and references are also provided where appropriate.
SUBJECT AREA OVERVIEW
1. Project Initiation and Management
Establish the need for a Business Continuity Management (BCM) Process or Function, including resilience strategies, recovery objectives, business continuity and crisis management plans and including obtaining management support and organizing and managing the formulation of the function or process either in collaboration with, or as a key component of, an integrated risk management initiative.
2. Risk Evaluation and Control
Determine the events and external surroundings that can adversely affect the organization and its resources (facilities, technologies, etc.) with disruption as well as disaster, the damage such events can cause, and the controls needed to prevent or minimize the effects of potential loss. Provide cost-benefit analysis to justify investment in controls to mitigate risks.
3. Business Impact Analysis
Identify the impacts resulting from disruptions and disaster scenarios that can affect the organization and techniques that can be used to quantify and qualify such impacts. Identify time-critical functions, their recovery priorities, and inter-dependencies so that recovery time objectives can be set.
4. Developing Business Continuity Management Strategies
Determine and guide the selection of possible business operating strategies for continuation of business within the recovery point objective and recovery time objective, while maintaining the organization’s critical functions.
5. Emergency Response and Operations
Develop and implement procedures for response and stabilizing the situation following an incident or event, including establishing and managing an Emergency Operations Center to be used as a command center during the emergency.
6. Developing and Implementing Business Continuity Plans
Design, develop, and implement Business Continuity Plans that provide continuity within the recovery time and recovery point objectives.
Prepare a program to create and maintain corporate awareness and enhance the skills required to develop and implement the Business Continuity Management Program or process and its supporting activities.
8. Exercising and Maintaining Business Continuity Plans
Pre-plan and coordinate plan exercises, and evaluate and document plan exercise results. Develop processes to maintain the currency of continuity capabilities and the plan document in accordance with the organization’s strategic direction. Verify that the Plan will prove effective by comparison with a suitable standard, and report results in a clear and concise manner.
9. Crisis Communications
Develop, coordinate, evaluate, and exercise plans to communicate with internal stakeholders (employees, corporate management, etc.), external stakeholders (customers, shareholders, vendors, suppliers, etc.) and the media (print, radio, television, Internet, etc.).
10. Coordination with External Agencies
Establish applicable procedures and policies for coordinating continuity and restoration activities with external agencies (local, state, national, emergency responders, defense, etc.) while ensuring compliance with applicable statutes or regulations.
Copyright 2004 DRI International |