Implementing and Managing Your Business Continuity Management Program

Congratulations - you are either appointed to manage or already as part of the team implementing and maintaining the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Program.  Be it full-time or part time, it is good to have an understanding on what aspect of the knowledge, the skill set and the challenges that is needed to do a good job? So asked yourself  "What is My BCM Role?"

If you are looking for specific business continuity management (BCM) training courses with professional certification from BCM Institute, proceed to scroll down to the section "What Type of Training Can I Attend?"

Before we start, it is useful to confirmed your understanding of business continuity management and crisis management.  It is worth reading "Crisis Management and Business Continuity Management: Why Is It Often Confused?"  If the differences is clear, let's start the discussion on your assigned BCM roles and responsibilities.

One of the critical step for the BCM journey is to “speak the same lingo.”  Hence, it is important that an organization establish its definition of a “disaster” when embarking of business continuity planning (BCP) and the many terms that is used during the implementation and management of this BCM program.  In our context, the alignment and correct understanding of each BCM terminology is critical.

What is A Disaster?

A Disaster is a sudden unplanned event that causes great damage or serious loss to an organization. It results in an organization failing to provide critical business functions for some predetermined minimum period of time.

In short, it denies an organization access to people, process and infrastructure.

• What Are the Key Terminology You Need to Know for Business Continuity Management (BCM)?  Starting with "Six Key Terms Synonymous to "Disruption" You Need to Know for BCM?"
• What Exactly is Business Continuity Management?
• What Are the Key Terminology You Need to Know? Look for the terms found in "BCMPedia: Business Continuity Management Wikipedia"?

If you are embarking on your BCM journey and is starting from a "blank page", what should be the steps that you should be undertaking. 

• Do you have an existing BCM framework and policy?
• Do you know who should be members of your BCM team?

  If you are truly a BCM newbie, you should start by gathering information from articles, case studies and analyzes of recent crises affecting organizations both inside and outside of your industry. The key is to identify best-practice recommendations and any common pitfalls.

Read some of the crisis management articles that is available of our LinkedIn Showcase (Business Continuity Management).

Globally at your home location, there are related courses specific to business continuity management.  If you find it useful, you may want to take a look at the BCM Institute's series of specialized BCM courses.  The quick question is do I have the necessary skillset and know-how to do this job? what do I "not know"? How Do I Start My BCM Learning Journey?

The institute has competency-based training leading to professional certification.  You may want to review the following BCM courses to determine the relevance to your roles and prior knowledge?

• [Course Code: BCM-5000] Do you need to fast track the learning process?  You may want to Attend Advanced Level BCM-5000 Course: ISO 22301 BCMS Expert Implementer.
  

• [Course Code: BCM-300] If you starting BCM and "Embarking Your BCM Learning Journey by Attending the  Intermediate Course"
  

• [Course Code: BCM-400] Meanwhile, if you have decided to complete your BCM-5000 course into stages, and have already completed our intermediate course (BCM-300), you will be asking yourself how you can "Complete Your Final Installment of Advanced Level BCM (400 Level) Training Course."
  

In view of the COVID-19 outbreak resulting in travel restrictions, quarantine and social distancing requirements, all courses are now offered as Blended Learning.  You may want to read "What is a BCM-5000 Blended Learning Course?"

Course Content Links to BCM Institute Website With Pricing

For convenience to the reader, these are quick links to the respective crisis management courses found on the BCM Institute's website.  The pricing is in Singapore dollars (SGD).

• BCM-200: Business Continuity Management System Planner [Course Description] [Pricing] Course is offered as an E-Learning Module.

• BCM-300: Business Continuity Management System Implementer [Course Description] [Pricing] [FAQ]

• BCM-400: Business Continuity Management System Manager [Course Description] [Pricing] [FAQ]

• BCM-5000: Business Continuity Management System Expert Implementer [Course Description] [Pricing]  [FAQ]

Note: For the latest course schedule, go to the respective [Course Description] and click [Course Schedule]

For those who are experienced and are seeking to progress in their career, it is time that you review and develop your learning road map that will accelerate both your knowledge, skillset and most importantly, your career.

Here are some of the related courses to be considered.  Take stock by reviewing "What is My BCM Competency Level?".  It is essential for you to know where you are "Know-Do-Manage" and where you aspire to reach or are required by the current BCM role.

So What Exactly Is Your BCM Role?

For those who are experienced and are seeking to progress in their career, it is time that you review and develop your learning road map that will accelerate both your knowledge, skillset and most importantly, your career. However, if you are already the BCM Manager, what are the other roles within the BCM organisation? So find out the respective roles in "Business Continuity Management: What is My Role?"

Here are some of the four key and related roles to be considered:

• BCM Manager: What are the Competency and Skill Needed to be Organization BCM Coordinator? 

• Business Unit BCM Coordinator: What Does My Business Unit BCM Coordinator Need to Improve Their BCM Competency and Skill? 
• Recovery Team and Staff Members: How Do I Prepare and Train The Rest of My Organisation Staff Members on BCM? 
• Senior Management: What BCM Competency and Skill Should My Senior Management Have?

Business Continuity Management Certification provides you with the necessary verification that you have the knowledge and also the necessary experience to implement or manage the crisis management program.

The three levels of certification are shown below.  The types of crisis management certification include BCCP, BCCS and BCCE.

To elaborate on the requirement to attain your certification, you can find more information at "How to Obtain Your BCM Certification?"

The institute has published a specialized BCM book called "A Manager’s Guide to ISO22301 Standard for Business Continuity Management System."  You may want to get a  copy of this book from the BCM Institute's store.

This book will provide an overview of how a BCM framework is developed. The content is to advise the reader on the approach to implementing the ISO 22301:2012 framework, principles and methodologies. Using the PDCA component as spelt out in the ISO Standard, this book provides a clear explanation of the standard and details on the “How-to” aspect in implementing your BCM program,  plans and procedures.   It also guides BCM professionals new to ISO to implement and achieve its Business Continuity Management System or BCMS. ISBN: 978-981-07-2512-9

Other Useful References

A list of the other references can be found in "What Are BCM References That Is Useful?"

Do take note that only Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) can opt to attend BCM Institute's competency-based training and can seek funding from the government when attending the business continuity management courses in Singapore.

Up-to-90% Funding.  CITREP+ Funded Courses. BCM Institute currently has funding for its advanced (BCCE) level BCM certification courses (including blended learning) via another funding scheme CITREP+.

WSQ Courses: BCM Institute is an Authorized Training Centre (ATO) and the crisis management training program is developed in collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).

It is good to know the differences between BCM Institute's certification courses versus the competency-based training by reading  "What is Certification and Competency-based Courses?"

What are the specific BCM courses offered as part of a competency-based courses and the course content on the website? If you want to know more explanation about the course and the certification program, click [Read more BCM-3X0]

• BCM-310: Assessing Risk and Business Impact Requirements [Read more about BCM-310]
• BCM-320: Developing Business Continuity Strategies and Plans [Read more about BCM-320]
• BCM-330: Testing and Exercising Business Continuity Plans [Read more about BCM-330]

You can view this "Comparison Between BCM Intermediate Level Competency and Certification Courses" as an example.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write to us @ info@bcm-institute.org