Create your Business Continuity Plan
Business Continuity is part of the Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit (JEPU); we can help you or direct you to resources and people who can offer specialist assistance.
A Business Continuity Plan describes how your company will continue to function during and after a disaster or crisis. Strong plans include provisions for a range of possible events that could impact your business’ ability to function.
This might include:
- Natural disasters such as floods, fires, hurricanes or other severe storms.
- Cyberattacks that cause yours or your clients’ websites to become compromised.
- Loss of your server(s), data, power, or third-party services.
- Unexpected unavailability of a large number of employees, due to widespread illness or other causes.
The following templates, toolkits and resources are designed to support your understanding of Business Continuity and the development of your Business Continuity Plans. We encourage you to explore the full range of resources below, which provide guidance to help your organisation prepare for, respond to and recover from potential disruptions.
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10-Minute Business Continuity Assessment
This quick assessment helps you review how well your business continuity arrangements are in place. It is divided into sections for ease of reference, and ideally all criteria should be met.
10-minute Business Continuity Assessment -
How to Use the SME BC Toolkit
This toolkit provides general business continuity guidance. Each organisation remains responsible for its own legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, information security, health and safety and sector-specific requirements.
How to use the SME BC Toolkit -
Practical Business Continuity Handbook
This toolkit provides general business continuity guidance. Each organisation remains responsible for its own legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, information security, health and safety and sector-specific requirements. Completion does not guarantee continuity, plan approval, incident response support or operational support. Emergency services and life-safety instructions take priority.
Practical Business Continuity Handbook -
Business Continuity and Resilience Policy
This toolkit provides general business continuity guidance. Each organisation remains responsible for its own legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, information security, health and safety and sector-specific requirements.
Business Continuity and Resilience Policy -
Business Impact Assessment
This toolkit provides general business continuity guidance. Each organisation remains responsible for its own legal, regulatory, contractual, insurance, information security, health and safety and sector-specific requirements.
A worked example for a fictional small business could be accessed here: SME Example Business Impact Assessment
Business Impact Assessment -
Business Continuity Plan Template
Operational template for disruption and recovery.
SME Example: SME Example Business Continuity Plan
Business Continuity Plan -
Daily Business Resilience Toolkit
This companion resource looks beyond incident readiness to the wider conditions that help a business remain viable and adaptable, including financial stability, customer concentration, strategic choices and leadership capacity.
Daily Business Resilience Toolkit -
Building Emergency and Business Continuity Plan
Life-safety procedures always take priority. Use this plan when disruption affects safe access to, or normal use of, the building.
SME Example: SME Example Generic Building Emergency and BC Plan
Building Emergency and Business Continuity Plan -
Business Continuity Implementation Checklist
Practical actions, evidence and improvement tracking.
Business Continuity Implementation Checklist -
Contractor Business Continuity Assurance Guide
This guide helps contractors and subcontractors understand the business continuity assurance that may be requested during tendering, mobilisation, contract review or renewal. It does not explain how to write a business continuity plan. It focuses on how to check that arrangements are robust and how to demonstrate them clearly.
Practical actions and assurance checklist for contractors: Contractor Business Continuity Checklist
A practical readiness check for contractors and subcontractors:
Contractor Business Continuity Self Check
Contractor Business Continuity Assurance Guide -
Contractor Evident template
A concise record of service-specific continuity assurance and supporting evidence
Example Contract evidence template: Example Contractor Evidence Template
Contractor Evident template -
Contract Manager Business Continuity Assurance Checklist
For commissioners, procurement teams and contract managers.
Contract Manager Business Continuity Assurance Checklist
Get Prepared
