British Standards Institution issues important update on BS 65000

How quickly was your business able to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic? Could it survive another unforeseen crisis of that nature?

Given today’s volatile business environment, it’s not surprising that resilience has become a strategic issue for forward-thinking organisations. Organisational resilience is a planned approach that reaches beyond risk management towards a more holistic view of business health and success. A resilient organisation is one that not merely survives over the longer term, but also flourishes. In short, it passes the test of time.

However, while the concept of organisational resilience has proven to be very popular, turning these ideas into actionable processes has proved challenging for many business leaders.

On that basis, BS 65000 provides businesses with support in achieving resilience throughout their organisation. This British Standard was first published in 2014, but has now been revised and released as a Code of Practice containing more recommendations and guidance than before.

Industry experts

Developed by a committee of industry experts, the guidance outlined within BS 65000 establishes what is meant by the term ‘organisational resilience’. This includes its defining attributes and the practical measures that can be taken by a business to achieve it.

Having clear and expert consensus on what organisational resilience is has undoubtedly helped to pave the way for actionable steps to be taken by businesses wanting to achieve this goal.

BS 65000 does this by:

*providing an authoritative document that can be used as part of a Board-level agenda

*providing clear interconnection and recognisable relationships between key business areas such as cyber security, sustainability and the supply chain in order to support responsible and good business practices

*harmonising many existing management processes and systems – among them risk management, business continuity management and crisis management – to save management time and improve investment decisions

*supporting discussions on resilience across organisations with agreed terms and definitions

*providing a means to effectively measure resilience

Changes to the British Standard

The changes to this British Standard also draw on recent and relevant academic evidence, business insights and new thinking that updates the terminology and approach. The update recognises the areas of good practice that have evolved since BS 65000 was first published.

With the state of the global economy uncertain and the effects of climate change being felt across so many nations, it has never been a more crucial time for business leaders to invest in their organisational resilience.

Adopting BS 65000 can help businesses to establish processes designed to ensure organisational resilience, enter new markets, accelerate innovation, grow sustainably, improve efficiencies and strengthen their risk management posture.

Developing an effective organisational strategy now means that businesses will reap the benefits in the future.

*Copies of the updated BS 65000:2022 are currently available to purchase online by visiting the BSI’s website