Organisations that survive major disruptions with minimal lasting damage typically share one characteristic: a genuinely tested business continuity plan, built before the disruption occurred. This course builds practical business continuity planning skills, from impact analysis through to plan development and testing, for organisations that want genuine resilience rather than a compliance document.
40%of businesses never reopen after a major disruption without a continuity plan
2xfaster recovery for organisations with tested continuity plans
140+professionals trained by Matsh in this programme
Common challenges this course addresses:
- Your business continuity plan exists as a document that has never been genuinely tested
- You are unsure which business functions are truly critical versus merely important
- You lack a clear framework for identifying realistic recovery time objectives
- Your continuity plan does not account for how a disruption might affect key personnel or suppliers
- You struggle to secure organisational investment in continuity planning before a crisis makes it urgent
This course builds practical business continuity skills that create genuine resilience, tested before you need it.
Who Should Attend
📋
Business Continuity Managers
Professionals directly responsible for continuity planning.
👔
Senior Leaders
Executives setting organisational resilience priorities.
⚖️
Risk and Compliance Staff
Those ensuring continuity planning meets requirements.
💼
Operations Managers
Those responsible for critical business function continuity.
🚀
Small Business Owners
Owners building continuity capability without dedicated staff.
🌍
NGO Programme Managers
Those planning for continuity in complex operating environments.
What You Will Leave With
Practical tools applicable immediately.
✓Business impact analysis, identifying which functions are truly critical to prioritise
✓Recovery time objective setting, establishing realistic targets for restoring operations
✓Continuity strategy development, building genuine strategies for maintaining critical functions
✓Plan development skills, creating a continuity plan that is actionable, not just documented
✓Testing and exercise design, genuinely validating your plan before a real disruption
✓A business continuity plan template, ready to apply to your own organisation
What Participants Report
From follow-up surveys 60 days after the programme
70%identified a significant continuity gap during their first testing exercise
58%secured improved organisational investment in continuity planning after the course
140+professionals trained across all cohorts
"We had a continuity plan on paper that had never been tested and, it turned out, had significant gaps around key personnel dependencies. Running our first exercise exposed exactly what we needed to fix."
Operations Director, healthcare sector
Programme Outline
1
Business Impact Analysis
Why this module matters: Understanding which business functions are genuinely critical, and the true impact of their disruption, is the foundation for realistic continuity planning.
- Conducting business impact analysis to identify genuinely critical functions
- Establishing realistic recovery time objectives for each critical function
- Understanding dependencies between functions, people and suppliers
2
Continuity Strategy Development
Why this module matters: Continuity strategies must address realistic scenarios and genuine constraints, rather than assuming ideal conditions during a disruption.
- Developing continuity strategies for identified critical functions
- Addressing personnel, supplier and technology continuity specifically
- Balancing continuity investment against realistic risk and cost
Why this module matters: A continuity plan that is clear, actionable and accessible during an actual crisis provides genuine value beyond documentation for its own sake.
- Building continuity plans that are genuinely usable during a real crisis
- Structuring plans for clarity and quick reference under pressure
- Common continuity planning mistakes that undermine real-world usability
4
Testing and Personal Application
Why this module matters: Testing a continuity plan through structured exercises reveals gaps that would otherwise only surface during an actual disruption.
- Designing and conducting continuity plan testing exercises
- Using test results to genuinely refine and improve the plan
- Personal business continuity plan template for your organisation
Course At a Glance
| Duration | 3-5 Days |
| Format | In-person and online |
| What's Included | Workbook, practical toolkit, certificate of completion |
Common Questions
Is this course relevant for smaller organisations without dedicated continuity staff?
Yes. The frameworks scale to organisations of any size, and smaller organisations often face greater risk from disruption due to less redundancy.
Does the course address specific types of disruption, such as natural disasters or cyber incidents?
The frameworks apply across disruption types, with practical exercises encouraging participants to consider scenarios most relevant to their specific organisational context.
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