'Setting a new standard for Operational Resilience' sets out the pressures for change in this area. Prominent among them is the recently-published Civil Contingencies Bill, which will make demands on public sector bodies and key private sector service providers, as it seeks to legislate for measurable standards of risk assessment, emergency planning and information sharing.
Alan Williamson, UK leader, risk consulting practice, Marsh, said: "It is no longer good enough simply to have a telephone cascade in a drawer and call it a business continuity plan. The bar is being raised for emergency planning, and organisations will need to respond to safeguard their own commercial positions, and in some cases to ensure the provision of essential services in the event of a major incident. 2004 will be the year in which business continuity and crisis management move into the mainstream of good boardroom management practice."
In addition to Government legislation, organisations face further pressure following the publication of a consultation paper by the Financial Services Authority in 2003 on business continuity and emergency planning.
Download - Setting a new standard for Operational Resilience from: www.marsh.co.uk/operationalresilience. Information on the Civil Contingencies Bill can be found at: www.ukresilience.info/ccbill/
