London’s SMEs must develop business continuity plans NOW… The LCCI - which represents 3,500 predominately small businesses - says that up to 44 percent of small and medium-sized firms have no contingency plans in place and many of those that do, fail to communicate to their staff effectively about what needs to be done in the event of a major emergency incident. The LCCI is therefore publishing a directors' briefing - drawn-up by members with expertise in the security and business continuity sectors - which details a practical programme which small firms can put in place immediately to improve their preparedness. The document ‘Crisis management and business continuity planning: a programme for business survival’ includes specific measures which have been drawn-up to counter the changed circumstances since the attacks of 7 th July. "The chronic lack of preparedness on the part of small and medium-sized firms is the greatest avoidable threat in the capital today," said LCCI president Michael Cassidy. "Directors owe it to themselves, their employees and other firms in the supply chain which depend on them to take action now." "On 7/7 a number of firms in the capital ran out of food and drinking water because their entire staff were confined to the premises all day. Firms therefore need to make sure they are adequately provisioned in this respect, especially as their premises may fall within an exclusion zone and their staff be forced to remain in situ for two or three days in a worst case scenario." "Directors should identify an alternative temporary business site which is located well away form the main building. It is imperative that the secondary location is not served exclusively by the same utility companies or communication company as the primary location." "Small companies should also consider conducting background checks on employees and periodically checking anyone with access to sensitive information." "We would also urge small companies actively to approach larger organisations based nearby to act as a 'buddy': that is, the more extensive resources of the larger firm would help their smaller neighbour stay afloat in the aftermath of a serious disruption to business."
•Date: 13th September 2005 • Region: UK• Type:
Article •Topic: BCgeneral |
