ALEXANDRIA, VA--(Marketwire - December 15, 2010) - ASIS International and BSI today released a joint American National Standard, Business Continuity Management Systems: Requirements with Guidance for Use (ANSI/ASIS/BSI BCM.1-2010). The standard provides auditable criteria with accompanying guidance for developing and implementing a business continuity management system that improves an organization's ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disruptive event. ASIS International is the preeminent organization for security management professionals worldwide. BSI is a leading global provider of risk-based solutions, assessments and training programs.
"This standard, which brought global experts in continuity management and contingency planning together, represents a consensus of business continuity management best practices," says Marc Siegel, commissioner, ASIS Global Standards Initiative. "It provides a useful tool for any size or type of organization that wishes to enhance its preparedness performance and capabilities."
Using the globally-accepted ISO "plan-do-check-act" model, the ASIS/BSI business continuity management standard specifies requirements for planning, establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, exercising, maintaining, and improving a Business Continuity Management System.
"A viable business continuity plan is imperative for businesses to successfully overcome unscheduled interruptions or disruptions," said Todd VanderVen, President, BSI Group America. "By working together, BSI and ASIS have produced a best-in-class Business Continuity Management System that empowers individuals to better manage risk and strengthen corporate stability."
Upon implementing the Business Continuity Management System, an organization:
- Improves its ability to withstand disruptive events that may jeopardize its purpose, mission, and strategic objectives;
- Delivers a demonstrable capability to manage a disruption and protect stakeholder interests;
- Provides a structured and rehearsed method of restoring its productive ability within a planned timeframe after a disruption; and
- Promotes the safety and security of internal and external stakeholders.
"This standard provides management with the ability to plan past a business interruption and remain competitive," stated Robert Whitcher, BSI's Product Manager for Business Continuity. "By implementing the Business Continuity Management System Standard, a disruption need not become a corporate disaster."
The ASIS/BSI Business Continuity Management Standard complements the ANSI/ASIS Organizational Resilience standard as well as BSI's BS 25999 and addresses all the core elements of the DHS PS-Prep Program.
All ASIS Standards and Guidelines are available through the ASIS website, www.asisonline.org.
The work of preparing ASIS Standards and Guidelines is carried out through the ASIS International Standards and Guidelines Commission and its committees. An ANSI accredited Standards Development Organization, ASIS actively participates in the International Organization for Standardization, developing standards and guidelines within a voluntary, nonproprietary and consensus-based process, utilizing the knowledge, experience and expertise of ASIS membership, security professionals and the global security industry. View a complete list of all Standards and Guidelines currently under development.
ASIS International is the preeminent organization for security professionals, with more than 37,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1955, ASIS is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and productivity of security professionals by developing educational programs and materials that address broad security interests, such as the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, as well as specific security topics. ASIS also advocates the role and value of the security management profession to business, the media, government entities and the public. By providing members and the security community with access to a full range of programs and services, and by publishing the industry's No. 1 magazine -- Security Management -- ASIS leads the way for advanced and improved security performance.
BSI Group is a global independent business services organization that develops standards-based solutions to improve management practices and promote innovation. BSI can help businesses, governments and other organizations around the world to raise quality and performance in a sustainable and socially responsible way. From its origins as the world's first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years' experience, working with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50 offices. To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com.
Documents and/or Photos available for this release:
ASIS/BSI Business Continuity Management ANSI Standard
To view supporting documents and/or photos, go to www.enr-corp.com/pressroom and enter Release ID: 280872