Firms told: Develop BCP amid pandemic

Companies are advised to develop a business continuity plan (BCP) to minimize the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their operations and prepare for future disasters.

One of the aspects in your business that needs to be considered is your resource.

“The situation right now, it is still not yet too late to establish regulations and standards that will help you manage the crisis,” Mechell Madriaga, health, safety, security, and environment (HSSE) manager at Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation, said in a live event.

Madriaga said firms have to define specific yet measurable objectives in creating a framework for a comprehensive BCP.

She said the plan should enumerate strategies, procedure in making decisions, internal and external communications and related practices, systematic recovery systems, networks and processes that help companies resume normal operations.

“With appropriate strategy to gauge both of your efforts, customers, community and your partners, it is to reduce the likelihood of your business going to be significantly impacted by a disaster or distraction,” she said.

The framework should also define the specific roles and responsibilities of the employees and communicate with clients about its implementation, Madriaga said, adding the need to test and revise the plan.

She said a risk assessment tool is likewise imperative in analyzing the business’ weakness and strength, “especially when you face unexpected events such as this pandemic that can cost your organization money and worse, permanently close like what happened to some businesses today.”

“One of the aspects in your business that needs to be considered is your resource. The number one resource is your people who are the most important assets in your organization. You need to check their function and their capability since they are going be the executor of your plan,” she added.

Madriaga said the BCP should identify tools and equipment and existing procedures or processes involving engineering, safety and security, finance, administration that will be utilized.

It should likewise list stakeholders and partners, including clients, third-party service providers, different government agencies, emergency responding units, and surrounding community, she said.

“Can they (suppliers or service providers) give us our business requirements during these disruptive events? Can our suppliers respond to our needs? If not, then we should have a back-up supplier then. You need to have a good relationship with them, strong connections, (you need to) reach out to them. Make them feel they are important, prioritize them as you would want them to prioritize you,” she said.