Download this business continuity guide based on the principles of PAMA – Plan, Adapt, Monitor and Asses- aimed at helping businesses around the world become as resilient as possible in the face of the global health crisis COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Business Continuity Guide developed by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world’s largest business organization, features practical tips on how to build a resilience strategy as well as guide questions that will help identify supply chain risks.
Also included are a sample business continuity scenario analysis and a business unit continuity analysis template.
It is reasonable to feel frustrated by the safety and economic problems raised by COVID-19. But we need to concentrate on the aspects we can manage. Preparedness is a vital element in assessing the probability that your company can stay alive. If you haven’t already done so, it’s important that you placed in place a strategy to preserve business continuity, the guide stated.
It further invites businesses to “reach out to your local chamber of commerce and trade association for advice more tailored to your region and sector…These are challenging times, but with preparedness, pragmatism and determination, we will prevail.”
The PAMA approach calls for the following:
Have a Plan to ensure that disruption to your business is minimized and resilience enhanced.
When you begin to experience disruption, it is essential that you Adapt across all operations to ensure business continuity.
As the situation develops, you should Monitor public health advice as well as government support programs for your business and employees.
The fluid nature of the pandemic requires you to continuously Assess your COVID-19 business continuity plan, and amend as necessary.
Under the Plan principle, for instance, the guide urges a company to, among others, create a taskforce on pandemic preparedness. “Creating a key team of people who can focus their energies on the business impacts of COVID-19 will enhance the resilience of your business,” it said.
It also suggests that companies assess the importance of business activities, conduct a business continuity scenario analysis, assign roles for COVID-19 mitigation activities, and establish internal and external communications strategy.
Under Adapt, the first priority should be “maintaining the physical and mental wellbeing of your people,” and if the situation in your area worsens, “you may need to close offices and, where possible, shift to working from home.”
The Monitor principle advises monitoring the situation to determine a change in severity and sourcing information from reputable sources such as the World Health Organization “and the national and subnational health services in your areas of operation.”
Finally, the guide calls on firms to continuously assess and review their pandemic preparedness plan. “Be willing to adapt as necessary as the situation on the ground changes,” it said.
The free guide is available for download here: https://iccwbo.org/media-wall/news-speeches/icc-publishes-covid-19-business-continuity-guide/
— Philexport News and Features, 08 April 2020