ASIS International and BSI released a joint American National Standard,Business Continuity Management Systems: Requirements with Guidance for Use (ANSI/ASIS/BSI BCM.1-2010). The standardprovides auditable criteria with accompanying guidance for developing and implementing a business continuity management system that improves an organization’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disruptive event.
“This standard, which brought global experts in continuity management and contingency planning together, represents a consensus of business continuity management best practices,” says Marc Siegel, commissioner, ASIS Global Standards Initiative. “It provides a useful tool for any size or type of organization that wishes to enhance its preparedness performance and capabilities.”
Using the globally-accepted ISO “plan-do-check-act” model, the ASIS/BSI business continuity management standard specifies requirements for planning, establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, exercising, maintaining, and improving a Business Continuity Management System.
Upon implementing the Business Continuity Management System, an organization:
- Improves its ability to withstand disruptive events that may jeopardize its purpose, mission, and strategic objectives;
- Delivers a demonstrable capability to manage a disruption and protect stakeholder interests;
- Provides a structured and rehearsed method of restoring its productive ability within a planned timeframe after a disruption; and
- Promotes the safety and security of internal and external stakeholders.
The ASIS/BSI Business Continuity Management Standard complements the ANSI/ASIS Organizational Resilience standard as well as BSI’s BS 25999 and addresses all the core elements of the DHS PS-Prep Program.
All ASIS Standards and Guidelines are available through the ASIS website, www.asisonline.org.
