Business Continuity Management focuses on the programmatic issues associated with designing and developing organizational capabilities to address operational disruptions before, during and after a disaster or catastrophic event. In the United States Government the similar term of Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) is used for this capability. Business Continuity Management is the ability of an organization to provide service and support for its customers and to maintain its viability before, during, and after a disruption.

It is a holistic management process that identifies potential impacts that threaten an organization and provides a framework for building resilience with the capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of its key stakeholders, reputation, brand and value creating activities. BCM is the management of recovery or continuity in the event of a disaster.  It includes the management of the overall program through training, rehearsals, and reviews, to ensure the plan stays current and up to date.

The Discipline of Business Continuity Management addresses the following elements:
1. Initiating the Business Continuity Program: Developing policies, accountability, program
   ownership, and budget.
2. Understanding the Organization: Aligning business continuity with the organization’s overall
   strategy, conducting a business impact analysis, and conducting a risk assessment.
3. Developing Strategies to Protect the Organization: Evaluating the various approaches to
   protect the organization including a cost-benefit analysis of each approach.
4. Developing a BCM Response: Developing the business continuity plan that will be activated
   when the organization has a disruption or experiences a disaster.
5. Developing a BCM Culture: Awareness, training, testing, and exercising the organization’s
   people and processes to ensure that the people who will responsible for responding
   understand their roles and responsibilities.
6. Maintaining & Auditing the Program: Essentials for keeping the business continuity program
   up to date and ready for activation.

Credentialing Organizations / Certifications

ICOR
• the CORS (Specialist in Business Continuity Management) >click here

Business Continuity Institute (BCI) >click here
• FBCI
• MBCI
• SBCI
• ABCI

DRI International (DRII) >click here
• MBCP
• CBCP
• CFCP
• ABCP

Professional Development / Courses

ICOR Courses:
• Essentials of Business Continuity Management series >click here
• Organizational Resilience:  The BCM Component >click here
• DRII Qualifying Exam Review Course >click here

DRII Courses: >click here

Sentryx Courses: >click here

Institute for Business Continuity Training: >click here

BCM Discipline Chair

James I. Nelson
President of Business Continuity Services, Inc. (BCS), a consulting firm specializing in Business Continuity, Crisis Management and Disaster Recovery planning, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

He is a frequent speaker, writer, instructor and practicing professional both domestically and internationally.

Jim holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration, has earned the MBCP certification from DRI International in 1998 and served as DRI’s Lead Instructor from 2002-2006.
He is chairman of the board for ICOR, is a board member for the Northern Illinois Chapter of ACP, and is a member of IAEM. Jim also serves as the Business and Relationship Management Consultant to International Association Management, Inc.

Click here for specific questions regarding Business Continuity Management.

Click here for more information on Business Continuity Services, Inc.

Levels of Certification and Credentialing
There are five levels of ICOR certification

1. Certified Organizational Resilience Executive (CORE)

2. Certified Organizational Resilience Professional (CORP)

3. Certified Organizational Resilience Manager (CORM)

4. Certified Organizational Resilience Specialist (CORS)

5. Certified Organizational Resilience Associate (CORA)