All organisations - businesses, community and educational establishments and voluntary and charity organisations - need to be resilient to survive potential disruptions and recover quickly.
The level of preparation in which you need to plan will be dependent on your organisation and what you do. Below you will find some useful links to help you get started in your planning preparations:
Do you own or are you responsible for a business or charity?
Have you considered how emergencies could affect you?
How would your organisation manage the loss of:
- loss of critical staff
- your premises
- utilities (electricity, water, gas, phones) to either the wider area or just your building
- IT
- a key supplier?
There are 5 simple steps that can be taken to reduce the impact of any of the above and improve the resilience of your business.
Download and complete the Protect Your Business template to get you started.
Step 1 - Identify the potential risks to your business
If you answer "no" or "I don’t know" to any of the questions in the 10 minute assessment, it could be a risk to your business.
Step 2 - Plan for the most likely risks
Pages 3 to 5 of the Protect Your Business document may help you prepare for some of the most common risks that business’ face.
Step 3 - Document key contacts
Using the Protect Your Business template (.doc, 113.5kB) you have already downloaded, ensure you record your key contacts so you can reach them in an emergency. Don’t forget your employees contact details.
Step 4 - Check that you are fully insured and that all documentation is stored safely
The Association of British Insurers offers downloadable guidance about mandatory and voluntary insurance for small business.
Step 5 - Contact your local council and register with business networks
Sign up to the:
- YourBrent e-newsletter- (choose 'Brent alerts - emergencies' option)
- Brent Council Whatsapp Channel
- Brent Council X and Brent Council Facebook page
- Business advice and support
- West London Business newsletter
- Federation of Small Businesses
Further information about business continuity
- Business Continuity Institute: Various Business Continuity Resources
- London Prepared: Preparing your Business
- Fire Protection Authority: Business Resilience – Advice and guidance library with resources developed by RISCAuthority with insurers
- City of London: Business Continuity
- Cabinet Office: Business Resilience Planning Assumptions
- Cabinet Office: Supporting Smaller Businesses
- Cabinet Office: Resilience in Society: Infrastructure, Communities and Businesses
- GOV UK - Resilience in society
Other information
If you have a defibrillator, you can register it with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network