IRM stresses need for business continuity planning

The Institute of Risk Management (IRM) has highlighted the need for businesses to operate with at least a minimum amount of business continuity planning, it has emerged.

According to Ian Fraser, the marketing manager for the IRM, businesses should ensure they operate with at least the minimum business continuity planning levels as the absence of such protection could impact upon the ability of a business to recover from a serious event.

"There are some minimum business continuity elements which the [IRM] recommends every business must do," said Mr Fraser.

"[Without these, a business] would be very unlikely to survive a major incident."

The minimum business continuity planning elements recommended by the IRM would require businesses to ensure the presence of alternative sources for data access and communications, in addition to ensuring the availability of alternative premises from which to operate from.