Business Continuity Planning
 

What Is Business Continuity Planning?

Disasters come in many forms and often without warning.  As such, it is extremely important that we are prepared to take appropriate actions to protect students, faculty, and staff, as well as visitors to the University.  We must also take steps to minimize damage to the extent that we can.  And finally, we must be able to get back on our feet and resume operations in as short a time as possible.  This is the essence of Business Continuity Planning - being prepared to respond effectively to the unthinkable and then get back to business.

What would you do if, on arrival at work one morning, you were told that, due to a fire, you would not be allowed to enter your office for the next six weeks?  With a good business continuity plan in place - and with a little practice using it - the answer would be clear.  Without such a plan, you'd probably be scratching your head trying to think of what to do next.  Having a plan that is well thought out - and exercised - greatly increases the probability that, facing such a situation,  your office will be able to get back on its feet and resume operations.

In a complex enterprise such as this University, we must find ways to protect our people, our assets (both physical and intellectual), and our credibility as an organization.  Building an effective business continuity plan will ensure that we will be ready to respond appropriately to a disaster of any type and able to get back into operation as soon as possible.

This website provides information and tools to assist in the planning process.  For more detail, or to obtain help in putting your business continuity plan together, contact the Office of Business Continuity Planning at (704) 687-2740, or BCP@uncc.edu.