Hide! The auditors
are coming
Tim Wright explains why all BCM 
professionals should embrace the auditing 
process with open arms rather than seeking 
to avoid it
F
or many people, when they are told and money – these are all-too-precious for – on three counts. First, have you got
that the auditors are about to pay them commodities. Those responsible must also what you say you need? Second, will what
a visit, their initial response is: “Oh have the appropriate skills, knowledge and you’ve got work when needed? Third,
no, I haven’t got time for this!” or “Quick, experience. This fact is just as important is what you’ve got appropriate for your
I need to organise my holiday!” However, for the auditor who is assessing the organisation?
what these people fail to realise is that arrangements. It is perhaps even more the Auditing is not just for those who are
being part of a review by an external party case for anyone looking at information and intending to be certified against a standard
can in fact be like being handed a golden communications technology continuity, (e.g. BS25999-2). Having said that, if your
ticket. where changes occur frequently. It is vital organisation is intending to head in that
It is time that we reconsidered our views for the auditor to keep themselves up to direction, for whatever reason, then a
on the auditing process. Good auditors date with what infrastructure they may thorough audit is an excellent and cost-
will be skilled, experienced and up-to-date find, as well as available disaster recovery effective precursor to the certification
with current legislation and best practice. solutions. assessment. However, even if you are
By welcoming them into your world and not looking for certification, you should
telling them what is going well and also An audit defined recognise that a regular audit of your
what is not going so well, you are in effect First of all it is worth considering what continuity arrangements is an important
telling someone who will be able to tell ‘audit’ means. It can be defined as “a tool in your armoury. Indeed, such a regular
you what you need to do to put things right, systematic examination to determine audit forms an integral part of BS25999, the
and they will also give you the tools to fix it whether activities and related results BCI’s Good Practice Guidelines, and pretty
– the audit report. conform to planned arrangements much every other continuity framework
e
You will no doubt be familiar with the and whether these arrangements are across the globe.
old adage, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” implemented effectively and are suitable
This could have been written for the for achieving the organisation’s policy and A fresh pair of eyes
business continuity profession. In order to objectives .” Broadly, in plain English this As in so many other areas, there’s nothing
be implemented properly, BCM requires means that what you’ve got is examined like bringing in a fresh pair of eyes to
considerable investment in time, resource – by those who know what they are looking give your existing BCM set-up a useful
s
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32  Continuity  January/February 2010
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