Definition
Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is the process of preparing an organisation to maintain or rapidly restore its critical business processes during disruption.
Human Explanation
BCP defines how the organisation will continue its most important activities when normal people, premises, suppliers, information or technologies are unavailable.
Why it Matters
Prepared continuity arrangements reduce disruption to customers, employees and organisational obligations while improving the speed and coordination of response.
Conceptual Boundary
BCP is the planning process that supports Business Continuity. It covers the organisation as a whole and is broader than Disaster Recovery Planning, which concentrates on technology and IT infrastructure.
Practical Perspective
A credible continuity plan identifies priorities, owners, dependencies, alternative ways of working and clear activation criteria, and is exercised before it is needed.