Business Writing
NEW – Continuity of Operations Plan Templates
Sep
This week Klariti released a new Continuity of Operations Plan template pack. This provides a strategic plan to keep your operations running smoothly during emergencies.
Key benefits include:
- Improved decisions making
- Faster recovery activities
- Support for SOC2 and Audit requirements
FAQs – Continuity of Operations Planning
In the following section Sean looks at some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to writing a Continuity of Operations docs. Let’s start at the top:
Who writes the Continuity of Operations Plan?
The Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is typically developed by a cross-functional team within your organization. This will include representatives from various departments, such as IT, Operations, HR, and audit. IT usually plays a key role in drafting the plan because of its knowledge of critical systems and also ensuring the continuity of technological operations.
However, the process is collaborative, and the team works together to identify the necessary functions, resources, and recovery strategies. Senior leadership will review and approve the document to ensure it aligns with the organization’s goals, priorities, and audit requirements.
What is a Continuity of Operations Plan?
It’s a ‘living document’ that outlines how your organization will continue essential functions during and after a disruption, such as a natural disaster, cyberattack, or any other significant event. It provides guidance on the procedures to maintain critical operations, safeguard key assets, and ensure the safety of personnel. Typically, this includes strategies for data backup, system recovery, and communication with stakeholders. Use this document to minimize downtime, reduce the impact of disruptions, and maintain operational stability.
How does it differ from a Business Continuity Plan document?
It’s important to clarify the difference:
- A Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) focuses specifically on maintaining and restoring an organization’s essential functions during and after a disruption. It primarily deals with the operational aspects, such as ensuring that critical services and systems remain functional or are quickly restored.
- In contrast, a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) has a broader scope. It includes strategies for the entire organization to continue its business operations during a crisis, covering critical areas such as personnel, communications, supply chain, and customer service. Download BCP templates.
- While a COOP is a part of a BCP, the BCP provides a comprehensive framework for organizational resilience across all functions.
When is the Continuity of Operations Plan written?
You should write your Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) well before any disruption occurs. Ideally, you should develop the plan during periods of normal operations, so you have enough time for risk assessments, resource identification, and strategy development.
Regular reviews and updates will keep the plan current with changes in IT, personnel, and org structure.
In addition to the initial planning, you should review and revise the COOP after any major organizational changes, after a significant incident, or at least annually, to ensure it remains effective and relevant.
Coverpage of Continuity of Operations MS Word template
Where is the Continuity of Operations Plan kept?
You should store the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) in multiple secure and accessible locations.
- Keep a digital copy in a secure, cloud-based storage solution that allows authorized personnel to access it remotely in case of an emergency.
- Maintain physical copies in easily accessible but secure locations, such as a designated emergency operations center or the offices of key personnel.
Storing the COOP in multiple locations ensures that the plan remains accessible even if one location is compromised during a disruption. Regular backups and updates are also crucial to keep all copies current and effective.
Identifying the roles and responsibilities
Checklist for Preparing to Write a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
I asked Klara, who wrote the actual Continuity of Operations Plan templates, to prepare a checklist to help you get started. This checklist identifies the key activities you need to cover when you start the documentation. You can use this checklist in tandem with the MS Word and Excel templates to start drafting your document.
1. Conduct Risk Assessment:
– Identify potential threats and risks.
– Evaluate the impact of each threat on critical functions.
2. Understand Business Processes:
– Identify and prioritize essential functions that must continue during a disruption.
– Determine dependencies between different functions and processes.
3. Assess Required Resources:
– Identify necessary personnel, technology, and facilities to support critical functions.
– Evaluate the availability and redundancy of these resources.
4. Establish Objectives:
– Define recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO). [Article: What is RPO in Business Continuity]
– Determine acceptable levels of downtime and service degradation.
5. Review Regulatory Requirements:
– Ensure the plan complies with relevant regulations, audit, SOC2, and standards.
– Incorporate best practices from the industry and similar organizations.
6. Engage Stakeholders:
– Gather input from all departments, including IT, operations, HR, security, and risk management.
– Ensure senior leadership support and alignment with organizational goals.
7. Plan for Communication and Coordination:
– Establish a process for sharing information among departments and stakeholders.
– Develop a communication strategy for keeping the COOP up-to-date with regular reviews and updates.
8. Identify the Continuity Plan Structure:
– Determine the plan’s scope and outline key sections.
– Establish a framework for documenting procedures and responsibilities.
9. Ensure Redundant and Secure Storage:
– Plan for secure digital storage with access controls.
– Prepare for physical storage of copies in accessible and secure locations.
By following this checklist, the team can ensure they have considered all necessary factors before drafting the Continuity of Operations Plan.
Capture the Recovery Tasks in Excel
Next Steps
I hoped this helps get your started with this COOP document. In the coming weeks, we’ll discuss how to document each of the chapters in the MS Word template and also how to populate the Excel templates to track COOP activity before, during, and after a disruptive event. Make sure to download the templates from the Klariti online store here.
