Sustainability in BCM
Daman Dev Sood considers ‘Green’ issues in the context of 
BCM and reveals how environmental concerns are now firmly 
on the agenda at Steria
To what extent would you say that BCM are growing and over the next 30 to 40
is embedded into the business culture at
We have also implemented
years these will become major issues. It
Steria and what steps have you taken to
more efficient use of
is therefore essential that we tackle these
achieve this?
‘Green’ issues as they have the potential
printing devices to reduce
to become some of the biggest disasters
Business continuity has existed at Steria we have ever faced, worse even than any
for a number of years under a variety of
our paper and energy usage
pandemic situation we have experienced to
different names and for different purposes date. This is why I believe that Green issues
(e.g. BS7799, ISO 9001 etc.). However,
by reducing the number
should be a key part of any BCM strategy.
BCM has really established itself in its
current form over the last four years.
of unnecessary devices
What are the key steps in introducing a
Steria is a services organisation and as a
and maximising our use of
sustainability component into your BCM
result we practice BCM both for our own
strategy?
continuity purposes and also to ensure the
double-sided printing
continuity of our clients’ businesses. Today, The issue of sustainability has a much
we have a well established BCMS that is There are multiple definitions of broader scope than that of BCM. That is why
aligned to BS25999. ‘Sustainability’. However, I would use it is essential that any push to achieve levels
We firmly believe that BCM is embedded that provided by the UN, which defines of sustainability receive the full backing
into every facet of our organisation and this sustainability as: “development that of senior management. Another important
is demonstrated in our success to date at meets the needs of the present without factor is to ensure that appropriate
managing incidents we have experienced; compromising the ability of future resources are committed to leading both
the feedback we have received from our generations to meet their own needs.” sustainability and BCM activities. Those
employees, clients, insurers, auditors and There are therefore a number of different charged with heading up this push should
the BCM community at large; plus our areas included under the umbrella of have appropriate qualifications, relevant
participation in international exercises. sustainability, including: natural resources; experience, be involved in related networks
We have also benefited greatly from being energy usage; transportation; conservation and above all be fully committed to
amongst the early adopters of BS25999. of biodiversity; prevention of land championing the principles of sustainability
While our operations are not yet certified, degradation and your overall ecological and BCM.
our assets are already aligned to the footprint.
standard. In fact, prior to the standard we Can you outline some of the Green
had sought alignment with PAS56. To what extent would you say that Green measures which have been implemented at
At Steria we are also committed to issues and business continuity practices go
Steria that show that you actually practice
sharing our BCM experiences and learning
hand-in-hand? what you preach?
from those of others and therefore speak
regularly at international events. This is key From a rather simplistic perspective, BCM We have an ‘army’ of some 800 employees
to the development of business continuity. helps us to respond effectively to disaster who are registered as Green Agents
In addition, we work with organisations situations. A number of these disasters and work across Steria to help change
such as the Confederation of Indian Industry are relatively frequent and we have had behaviour towards issues of environmental
(CII) and the Institute of Electrical and experience of tackling them, such as sustainability. In addition, from a standards
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to promote flooding, windstorm, earthquakes, and perspective, a number of our offices are
BCM. manmade incidents such as IT failure, already certified to ISO 14001 and we are
accidents etc. Even relatively infrequent aiming to have the remainder of our offices
You mentioned in your presentation at disasters, such as pandemic, have impacted certified over the next 12 to 18 months.
the BCM World Conference that your on many of our lives and we are currently The standard is design to facilitate the
organisation has moved to the next level in
facing up to the H1N1 virus. implementation and maintenance of an
its BCM evolution by introducing the idea
However, there are some types of environmental management system.
of sustainability. Can you first explain what
disasters which we have yet to fully face. Steria has been rated as one of the
you mean by sustainability?
The impact of climate change and the top five UK organisations in terms of its
challenges posed by global warming environmental sustainability performance.
  Continuity  November/December 2009
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