Business Continuity Manual

Why Do I Need The Business Continuity Manual?

The definition of a disaster is any event that will significantly -- and negatively -- affect an institution's operation. Anything. Examples of "traditional" disasters include fires, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Examples of "non-traditional" disasters include terrorist strikes, toxic waste dispersions, computer system crashes and labor strikes. Statistics provided by public service agencies indicate that -- if a regional disaster strikes a community -- perhaps 50% of that community's businesses will not be able to re-open. Ever. Those same statistics suggest that less than 10% of the nation's businesses have developed and tested an effective disaster recovery and business resumption plan.

National events occurring daily demonstrate that it is not a matter of if a disaster will significantly affect your institution's operations -- but when. A disaster will naturally cause an interruption of service to your customers. And your customers will need your services during a disaster. Consider that if a natural, technological or human-caused disaster strikes your institution, will you be able to successfully:

l        Insure the continuity of organizational leadership -- and the effective management of all personnel, business units, facilities, assets and records?

l        Notify your employees of new work locations, telephone numbers, and critical persons to contact -- and of the necessary changes in the organization's leadership structure, duties and responsibilities and safety procedures?

l        Notify your customers of new business locations, telephone numbers, critical persons to contact -- and the necessary customer service changes?

l        Notify your vendors of new delivery schedules and locations, critical persons to contact -- and order new equipment and supplies?

l        Recover your critical hardcopy documents, such as contracts, charters, licenses, accounting records -- and other printed business records?

l        Recover your computerized data files, such as accounting and inventory programs, personnel, member and vendor databases, word processing files such as form letters, marketing and advertising information -- and general correspondence?

Federal and state regulations regarding disaster preparedness issues have changed dramatically in recent years. For the most part, regulations that existed prior to the 9-11 event remain in place -- and other regulations have been created to address previously unidentified needs.

A professional reputation takes years to acquire, moments to destroy and an eternity to rebuild. Inappropriate actions by your employees during a disaster often destroys both its customers' and the institution's image -- and these kinds of mistakes are among the easiest mistakes to prevent if you know how. Learn how.

What Is The Business Continuity Manual?

Version 7 of the Business Continuity Manual (formerly titled the Disaster Recovery Manual) provides a strategic, model plan for reducing your institution's exposure to losses caused by all types of disasters. The 234 page edition contains sample policies, procedures, forms, memos and training programs in template form that are designed to address the most common -- and the most costly -- sources of losses caused by disasters. It's designed for your use in developing and customizing a comprehensive and effective Business Continuity Plan for all of your institution's functions -- and it meets the needs of all types of financial institutions: banks, thrifts and credit unions.

In addition to formalizing policies and procedures that are "understood", the information contained in the Business Continuity Manual's twenty-four (24) sections will help you to reduce or eliminate the opportunity for mistakes and misunderstandings to occur. Losses caused by disasters are often disproportionately costly in relationship to the size and complexity of the actual event -- and many of the losses are preventable. Disasters actually result from three (3) types -- or combinations -- of incidents, caused by:

l        Natural or cataclysmic events (e.g., earthquakes, fires, floods and storms)

l        Human behavior (e.g., robberies, bomb threats, acts of arson, hostage events or transportation strikes)

l        Technological breakdowns (e.g., power outages, computer crashes and virus attacks)

Who Will Benefit From This Information?

The Business Continuity Manual is written especially for those people who are responsible for any institution's safety and soundness: compliance officers, security officers, auditors and operations managers. Previous experience business continuity planning is helpful but not necessary to understand and use the information. You will benefit if you are responsible for or assist with designing a Business Continuity Plan, conducting operational reviews, training employees or writing policy and procedures.

The Business Continuity Manual uses a logical and strategic model to help you understand the true scope of business continuity planning process within your institution. By understanding the cause and effect relationships between an institution's policies and operating procedures and its likelihood for survival after a disaster, you can implement a comprehensive, institution-wide Business Continuity Plan that will significantly reduce your institution's risk.

What Does The Business Continuity Manual Contain?

The General Information Segment presents overview and updating information, including:

Foreword -- The Security Officer's Role (updated)

l        Introduction

l        The Problems

¡       The First Problem: Appointment

¡       The Second Problem: Training

¡       The Third Problem: Support

l        The Institution’s Security Program

l        What Does The Bank Protection Act and Regulation H Really Mean?

¡       Security Procedures

¡       Suspicious Activity Reports

l        Other Security Responsibilities

¡       Employees, Insiders & Institution-Affiliated Parties

¡       Customers, Vendors & Third-Party Service Providers

¡       Facilities That The Institution Owns, Manages, Maintains Or Controls

¡       Assets That Are Both Tangible & Intangible

¡       Records & Documents That Exist In All Forms, Paper & Electronic

¡       Laws, Rules & Regulations

¡       Security Practices & Resources

l        Summary

The Business Continuity Plan Segment is the actual template plan designed for you to insert the information that you've researched and developed, including:

l        Introduction To Business Continuity Planning (updated)

¡       Overview

¡       The FFIEC's Original Contingency Planning Standards

¡       The FFIEC's Enhanced Business Continuity Guidelines

¡       What Is A Disaster?

¡       What Should A Business Continuity Plan Do?

¡       What Are The Best-Recognized Types Of Disasters?

¡       What Are The Most Commonly Reported Disasters?

¡       What Will Likely Happen During A Disaster?

¡       What Should Be The Goals Of The Business Continuity Plan?

¡       What Issues Should The Business Continuity Plan Address?

¡       How Should The Business Continuity Team Be Created?

¡       Summary

¡       Synopsis

l        Introduction & Purpose (updated)

l        Development & Implementation (updated)

l        Policy & Procedure Statements

l        Business Continuity Executive Committee & Team (updated)

l        Business Continuity Team: Members

l        Business Continuity Team: Responsibilities (new)

l        Business Continuity Team Chairpersons: Responsibilities

l        Business Continuity Team Coordinators: Responsibilities

l        Business Continuity Team Leaders: Responsibilities (updated)

l        Staff Personnel: Responsibilities (updated)

l        Emergency Notification Procedures (updated)

l        Emergency Information (updated)

l        Centers Of Operations (updated)

l        Testing & Training Requirements

l        Annual Risk Assessment & Evaluation (updated)

l        Branch & Department Recovery Plans (updated)

l        Training Program

l        Forms

l        Succession Resolution (updated)

l        Business Continuity Executive Committee: Appointment

l        Business Continuity Executive Committee: Acknowledgment

l        Board Of Directors' Certification Resolution (updated)

l        Copies Of Resolutions & Succession Documentation

l        Confidential Information

The Delegation Segment contains template action memos and other data-gathering tools for you to personalize and distribute -- to gather the information necessary to complete the plan more effectively, including:

l        Annual Review Memo

l        Annual Risk Assessment Assignment Memo

l        Annual Training Meeting Assignment Memo

l        Board Of Directors Training Memo

l        Branch Follow Up Memo

l        Branch Initial Assignment Memo

l        Database Research Assignment Memo & Sample Database Screens (updated)

l        Department Follow Up Memo

l        Department Initial Assignment Memo

l        Emergency Supplies & Equipment Memo (updated)

l        Meeting Memo (updated)

l        Summary Memo

The Appendix presents a strategic and tactical approach to researching and developing your institution's Business Continuity Plan -- and standardized forms and specialized templates for your use, including:

l        File Listing

l        Action Plan (updated)

¡       General Information

¡       Naming Conventions

¡       Research & Assembly Instructions

¡       Phases 1 - 14

l        Planning & Implementation Guidelines (updated)

¡       Overview

¡       Business Continuity Plan Components

l        Table Of Contents: Branch Or Department Copy (updated)

l        Template for repetitive text entry

¡       Office Listings (by facility)

¡       Department & Functional Listings

¡       Personnel Listing (by employee)

¡       Hotline Listings (by purpose)

¡       Emergency Staging Area Listings (by facility)

¡       Service Agreements, Emergency Services Agencies & Community Resources (by city & county)Emergency Services

n        Hospital/Urgent Care Facility

n        Emergency Staging Facilities & Shelters

n        Disaster Information

n        Communications

n        Security

n        Transportation

n        City/County Offices

n        Regulatory/Investigative Agencies

n        Utilities

n        Contractors/Vendors

n        Equipment

l        Sample Branch Recovery Plan (updated)

l        Sample Department Recovery Plan (updated)

l        Chronological Log Of Events Form

l        Testing Of Solutions Documentation Form

l        Recovery Worksheet Form

l        Employee Personal Profile Form

l        Sample Facility Diagrams

l        Emergency Responsibilities: Supervisors (new)

l        Emergency Responsibilities: Managers (new)

l        Emergency Responsibilities: Staff (new)

l        Sample Alternate Operating Site Services Agreement (updated)

l        Sample Data Processing Backup Services Agreement (updated)

l        Business Continuity Plan Tests (new)

¡       Hypothetical Disasters: Could These Happen To You?

n        Natural or Cataclysmic Events

n        Human-Caused Events

n        Technological Events

¡       Your Institution's Business Continuity Plan Sample Training Program

¡       Today's Test -- A Regional Disaster

l        Business Continuity Planning Training Scenario Overheads (updated)

l        Business Continuity Plan Training Workbook (updated)

¡       Overview

¡       What Are The Best-Recognized Types Of Disasters?

¡       What Are The Most Commonly Reported Disasters?

¡       What Will Likely Happen During A Disaster?

¡       What Should Be The Goals Of The Business Continuity Plan?

¡       What Issues Should The Business Continuity Plan Address?

¡       How Should The Business Continuity Team Be Created?

¡       Emergency Staging Areas & Facility Evacuation

¡       Telecommunications

¡       Alternate Work Locations

¡       Media Relations

¡       Personal & Business Responsibilities

¡       Attachments

l        Leader's Guide: Business Continuity Plan Training Program (updated)

¡       Overview

¡       Objectives

¡       Discussion Materials

¡       Meeting Preparation

¡       Conduct The Meeting

¡       After The Meeting

¡       Memo

¡       Training Roster

¡       Seminar Evaluation

l        Emergency Response Procedures Training Program (updated)

¡       Overview

¡       Types Of Emergency Response Events

¡       Determining Factors

¡       Emergency Response By Event Type

n        Natural Or Cataclysmic Incident

o       Earthquake or storm

o       Explosion

o       Fire (materials)

o       Fire (mechanical or device)

o       Flood

n        Human Behavior Incident

o       Bomb threat

o       Civil disturbance (riot)

o       Extortion

o       Hostage taking

o       Robbery

n        Technological Breakdown Incident

o       Computer hardware or software failure

o       Gas leak

o       Power outage

o       Telecommunications interruption

o       Toxic waste dispersion

o       Water leak

What Do I Do Next?

Our manuals and software are marketed exclusively by BankersOnline.com and the company offers its own product warranty. Please visit BankersOnline.com's Banker Store for information about purchasing individual titles or the entire Financial Institution Security Library, which includes the following works:

l        Business Continuity Manual

l        Conducting Investigations Manual

l        Loss Prevention Techniques & Training Manual

l        Security Program Manual

l        Workplace Violence Manual

Call Security Education Systems at 830-535-6500 for more information about related training and consulting services.