Protecting our SMEs: Cabinet Office launches business continuity guide

Today, the Cabinet Office has launched ‘Business Continuity for Dummies’, a survival guide for SMEs.

The guide has been produced with assistance from the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) and the Emergency Planning Society (EPS), and is intended to aid businesses to confidently manage challenges faced.

Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, Chloe Smith MP, highlighted the importance of SMEs to the greater economy; “The resilience of SMEs matters. SMEs are the life-blood of the economy, providing employment and growth, and critical services and products to larger companies”, she said.

Ms. Smith continued in support of the guide; “The quicker (SMEs) can be up and running again after problems hit, the quicker whole communities can recover”, she explained.

The guide acknowledges that smaller businesses do not have the money, time, or resources to prepare for disruptions. However, the cost of dealing with problems when they do arise can be significant.

The guide provides simple and affordable suggestions for preventive measures and emergency precautions to deal with disasters.

A sample chapter, published today, includes advice for ‘achieving rapid results’. It makes suggestions such as identifying possible risks to business premises and setting up an emergency skills register.

Tens of other organisations representing or supporting SMEs have come together for the first time, to help protect the health of SMEs.  One such organisation, Business in the Community (BITC) has registered their support.

“Business in the Community (BITC) has been pleased to be involved in the development of this important Guide”, Jim Haywood, Executive Director of Business Emergency Recovery Group, said.

“Prevention is always better than cure - planning ahead and building in resilience is what responsible and successful businesses do.  This Guide will be an enormous help with that”, he concluded.