Business continuity planning is a practice identifying all the processes and actions necessary to permit an organization to perform its crucial functions and activities during and after a disaster. It is the end result of the planning process by which an organization determines how it can continue to function in the event of a future disaster, and it is the starting point for action within an organization that finds itself trying to keep going after a disaster has occurred.

An organization without a written business continuity plan (BCP) has not prepared to cope with a disaster. A BCP is not complete if it does not clearly identify the vital initial steps undertaken by key members of an [Page 40]organization (managers, key departments, key employees) immediately following ...