BUSINESS STANDARDS
is the quarterly magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment. Regular features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems and standards.
Three times the continuity
18 Dec 2007
Topics: Business continuity, BS 25999
BSI Management Systems held three global Business Continuity launch events in October 2007, in London, New York and Tokyo. The events showcased BS 25999 Business continuity management. Code of practice and related training and certification services. And with 500 delegates in the UK, 190 in Japan and 142 in the US, it was an unqualified success.
The events began with a welcome message by Alexandre Meerson, BSI Group's e-business director, at the Tokyo International Forum and was followed with a keynote presentation from well-known risk and business continuity expert, Atsuyuki Sassa, to be followed later by Takeshi Ito, former head of BCM at Fujitsu, and Masamichi Shinohara of Inter-Risk Souken, a BCI Japan director. Feedback from the event showed that 92 per cent of delegates want further information on BS 25999 and business continuity management.
In London, the opening address was given by Mike Low, director of BSI British Standards, before handing over to BBC presenter and Daily Telegraph journalist Guy Ruddle, who compered the UK-arm of the three-part launch. They were joined by Bruce Mann, the UK government's head of civil contingencies, who supported BS 25999 as well as BSI's efforts to promote the standard.
The final part of the launch took place in New York and saw an introductory speech from Flemming Norklit, managing director of BSI Management Systems, as well as presentations from Jim Caverly, a director at the Department of Homeland Security, and John Beattie, global business continuity director of News Corporation. Caverly spoke positively about what BS 25999 can achieve for both the private and public sectors. The US event was hosted by Paul Kurtz, President Clinton's former personal aid in national security matters, who later became Director of Cyber Security at the White House.
According to Norklit, "these great events put BS 25999 on the world map while enhancing our awareness, which will be critical for our future success".
First steps to BCM
One month after the launch events, TDG plc and SunGard Availability Services (UK) Limited were both certified BS 25999-compliant by BSI on the same day that the standard was fully published.
Both companies were given the chance to trial the draft standard during the summer of 2007, and assess their management systems against it.
According to Simon Beesley of TDG, UK-owned European supply chain specialist, achieving certification will give his company a competitive edge: "Our major clients such as supermarket retailers have long insisted that we prove we have solid plans in place to provide business continuity and thus assurance of supply. Now that we have BSI's certificate, proving that fact is significantly easier. We will now be insisting on it from our suppliers and expect it to be widely adopted throughout our industry."
"We recognize how BS 25999 can not only help organizations become more resilient, but more agile and competitive as well," says Keith Tilley, managing director UK and senior vice-president for Europe with SunGard Availability Services. "Certification against the standard not only demonstrates our commitment to best practice to customers, it also provides us with valuable insight into the issues and challenges that certification may present."
For more information, visit www.bsi-uk.com/BusinessContinuity
Business Standards © 2009. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with the British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
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BSI is planning an informal free lunchtime roundtable in central London on 10 December 2009 to explore how small businesses and their trade bodies can work more effectively with standards. Places are limited so to register your interest or request more information, please email bsi.survey@bsigroup.com or call +44 (0)20 8996 7750.
Question: Given the state of the environment, should issues like energy management in business be more regulated and closely monitored instead of voluntary?
Climate change is such an urgent issue that some might argue the only answer to this question is "Yes". However, creating laws that achieve their goals in precisely the right way is challenging and time consuming at the best of times. And when it comes to climate change, the factors involved are varied - too many for any one law or set of laws to cover adequately.
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