Preparing an annual schedule of business continuity activities

Activities to include

Let's list items from the standard as a starting point and then fill in additional administrative activities. These may include tasks such as staff meetings and preparing necessary reports and assessments. The table below provides a starting list of activities with a suggested frequency of performance. In the ready-to-use template included with this article, we have adapted it to help you prepare an annual schedule of resilience activities.

Remember that the above table entries are based largely on the ISO 22301 standard. As you build your own annual schedule, you'll be including activities that are specific to your organization and its culture.

The table lists enough activities so that you will be able to comply with ISO 22301 requirements from an audit perspective. The activities also represent good BCMS practice and can be tailored to your organization as needed.

Using the planning template

Along with general guidance for creating a schedule of business continuity activities, we've also included a downloadable planning calendar. While the above table includes suggested time frames based on the ISO standard, these will differ by organization, so we encourage you to take your own company's needs and abilities into account when choosing the frequency of business continuity activities.

The BCMS schedule planning template is formatted as a 12-month calendar with space in each month to insert a check mark. This is how you indicate when you plan to perform specific activities. From that starting point, you can then progress to assigning specific calendar dates. As you identify additional activities required by your organization or industry, insert them in the planning template.