Resiliency scoring for business continuity plans

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Abstract: Through this paper readers will learn of a scoring methodology, referred to as resiliency scoring, which enables the evaluation of business continuity plans based upon analysis of their alignment with a predefined set of criteria that can be customised and are adaptable to the needs of any organisation. This patent pending tool has been successful in driving engagement and is a powerful resource to improve reporting capabilities, identify risks and gauge organisational resilience.

The role of business continuity professionals is to aid their organisations in planning and preparedness activities aimed at mitigating the impacts of potential disruptions and ensuring critical business functions can continue in the event of unforeseen circumstances. This may seem like a daunting task for what can typically be a small team of individuals. For this reason, it is important to be able to leverage industry standards, documented best practices and effective tools to streamline and support your continuity programme. The resiliency scoring methodology developed and implemented at Target has proven to be a valuable tool in taking the organisation’s continuity programme to the next level. This paper will detail how the tool was developed and provide guidance on how it can be customised to fit your organisation’s unique needs.

Keywords: resiliency, metrics, risk, business continuity, engagement, maturity, scoring

Anna Olson is a CBCP certified Senior Corporate Security Consultant with the Global Continuity and Resiliency (GCR) team at Target Corporation.

Jamie Anderson is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) and a Member of the Business Continuity Institute (MBCI).