What is created to ensure a business can return to normal operations following a serious incident?

The concept of a business continuity plan is designed specifically to ensure that an organization can continue its essential functions during and after a significant disruption or serious incident. A business continuity plan outlines the processes and procedures that the organization will follow to maintain or quickly resume critical operations, minimizing downtime and reducing the impact on the business and its stakeholders.

This plan typically includes risk assessment, emergency response procedures, and roles and responsibilities of key personnel. It encompasses various scenarios that may affect the business, allowing the organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies effectively. By having such a plan in place, a business can enhance its resilience, safeguarding both its assets and its reputation in the face of challenges.

In this context, while other options may also be related to handling disruptions—a crisis management plan focuses more on communication and management during an immediate crisis, a business recovery strategy emphasizes restoring operations after an incident, and a disaster response plan details the immediate actions taken following a disaster—none are as comprehensive in terms of ensuring ongoing operation as a business continuity plan.