Insights · Template
Business continuity plan outline
Continuity is how the business keeps operating while technology is restored. This outline lists the sections a continuity plan needs, each owned by the business rather than by IT, with the evidence that it has been completed and exercised.
How to use it
Before the first step.
- Begin with the business impact analysis; everything else depends on it.
- Exercise the plan with leadership at least annually.
Steps
Each one owned and evidenced.
| # | Step | Owner | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Business impact analysis: critical processes, maximum tolerable disruption, dependencies on systems, people, facilities and suppliers. | Business unit leads | Impact analysis |
| 02 | Recovery priorities: the order in which processes are restored and the objectives technology must meet. | Executive sponsor | Priority list with objectives |
| 03 | Activation: who declares a disruption, on what criteria, and how the plan is invoked. | Executive sponsor | Activation procedure |
| 04 | Command structure: continuity team, roles, deputies, decision authority. | Executive sponsor | Role matrix |
| 05 | Workarounds: how each critical process continues without its usual systems, for how long. | Business unit leads | Workaround procedures |
| 06 | People: staff safety, communication, alternate working arrangements, key-person cover. | HR lead | People plan |
| 07 | Facilities: alternate locations, remote working, access to equipment and records. | Operations lead | Facilities plan |
| 08 | Suppliers and partners: critical suppliers, their continuity commitments, alternates. | Procurement lead | Supplier continuity register |
| 09 | Communication: internal, customer, regulator and public communication plans and templates. | Communications lead | Communication plan |
| 10 | Link to technology recovery: how continuity and disaster recovery plans coordinate. | IT lead with sponsor | Coordination procedure |
| 11 | Return to normal: criteria and procedure for standing down. | Executive sponsor | Stand-down procedure |
| 12 | Maintenance and exercise: review cadence, triggers, exercise schedule and records. | Continuity lead | Exercise records |
By David Selakovic · Published 2026-10-16 · Revised 2026-10-16 · Reviewed every 180 days