ISO 22301 — Business Continuity Management Systems

Business Continuity that Works When It Matters. Design, test, and certify a BCMS that meets customer and regulator expectations.

Why Organizations Choose ISO 22301

Proven framework for operational resilience and regulatory compliance

3 Year
Certificate Cycle
CQI/IRCA
Lead Auditor

Key Benefits of ISO 22301 Certification

Measurable improvements in operational resilience and stakeholder confidence

🎯

Measurable RTO/RPO Targets

Meet recovery time and point objectives across critical processes with tested, documented procedures.

Faster Recovery

Fewer outages and faster recovery through tested playbooks and clear crisis leadership roles.

🛡️

Contract & Regulator Confidence

Lower audit burden and demonstrated compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.

📦

Clear Crisis Leadership

Defined roles, responsibilities, and communications for effective incident response.

🔗

Integrated Resilience

Seamless integration with cyber, facilities, supplier, and operational risk management.

What ISO 22301 BCMS Includes

Comprehensive coverage of business continuity management across your organization

1

Critical Business Processes

Supporting assets, dependencies, and impact analysis for all critical operations

2

Sites, People & Technology

Physical locations, key personnel, IT systems, third parties, and suppliers

3

Impact Assessment

Financial, legal, safety, data, and reputational impact identification and quantification

4

Recovery Strategies

RTO/RPO targets, workarounds, alternate sites, and continuity procedures

5

Crisis Management

Leadership structure, decision-making, and stakeholder communications framework

Industries We Serve

Specialized BCMS solutions for high-risk, regulated sectors

🏦

Finance

Ensure continuous operations for critical financial services and meet regulatory requirements for operational resilience.

Key Use Cases: Branch and payment continuity, data center failover, crisis communications to regulators
💻

IT Services / SaaS

Maintain customer SLA commitments and demonstrate reliability for mission-critical cloud services.

Key Use Cases: Multi-region recovery, runbooks, customer SLA continuity, disaster recovery testing

Power & Utilities

Manage critical infrastructure resilience and coordinate emergency response with regulatory bodies.

Key Use Cases: Control room relocation, outage response, mutual aid, emergency staffing protocols
🚢

Shipping & Ports

Maintain port operations continuity and coordinate with customs, carriers, and maritime authorities.

Key Use Cases: Terminal operations continuity, customs and carrier coordination, incident communications

Implementation Timeline

Structured approach with predictable timelines based on organizational complexity

Single Site, Low Complexity

Ideal for organizations with straightforward operations and limited geographic spread

Multi-site or Regulated

Organizations with multiple locations or operating in regulated industries

Large/Global Operations

Complex, multinational organizations with diverse operations and stakeholder groups

Certification Cycle: 3-year certificate with annual surveillance audits

AEC BCMS Implementation Package

Comprehensive deliverables for successful ISO 22301 implementation and certification

🔍 Gap Assessment & Roadmap

Current state analysis and implementation roadmap

📊 Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Critical process identification and dependency mapping

⚠️ Risk Assessment

Aligned to ISO 31000 risk management principles

📋 Continuity Strategies & Plans

IT and business recovery plans with RTO/RPO targets

🏛️ Crisis Management Framework

Leadership structure and communications templates

🎯 Exercise Program

Tabletop to simulation exercises with corrective action plans

📖 Incident & Recovery Runbooks

Detailed procedures with roles and call trees

🤝 Supplier Continuity Program

Third-party requirements and assurance processes

✓ Internal Audit & Management Review

Complete audit pack and management review templates

🎓 Mock Certification Audit

Certification body liaison and audit preparation

Prerequisites: None required. Existing risk framework helps. If absent, we include ISO 31000 quickstart in scope.

ISO 22301 Training Pathway

Build internal competency with our structured training progression

1

Foundation

1 Day

BCMS awareness for all staff

2

Internal Auditor

2 Days

ISO 19011 audit skills

3

Implementer

3 Days

BCMS development and management

4

Lead Auditor

5 Days

Certification body auditing

CQI/IRCA

BCMS Core Bundle

Implementer + Internal Auditor

Assessor Track Bundle

Internal Auditor + Lead Auditor

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ISO 22301 Implementation Packages

Tailored solutions for different organizational needs and complexity levels

SMB

BCMS FastTrack

Single site, streamlined implementation
  • Gap assessment and implementation roadmap
  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessment
  • Continuity plans and recovery procedures
  • Tabletop exercise and lessons learned
  • Certification audit preparation and support
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ENTERPRISE

Regulated Enterprise BCMS

Multi-site with regulatory requirements
  • Multi-site BIA and dependency mapping
  • Advanced simulation exercises
  • Supplier continuity program development
  • Executive crisis management exercises
  • Regulator liaison and compliance reporting
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BUNDLE

Cyber Resilience Bundle

ISO 22301 + ISO 27001 integration
  • Joint BCMS and ISMS implementation
  • Integrated incident response procedures
  • Cyber-specific recovery scenarios
  • Combined exercise and testing programs
  • Dual certification audit coordination
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LOGISTICS

Port & Logistics Bundle

ISO 22301 + ISO 28000 for maritime sector
  • Terminal operations continuity planning
  • Customs and carrier coordination procedures
  • Supply chain security integration
  • Maritime-specific incident communications
  • Regulatory compliance for port authorities
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need IT disaster recovery before implementing ISO 22301?

No, but disaster recovery plans and testing are part of the BCMS scope. We help you develop or enhance IT DR as part of your overall continuity strategy.

What proves effectiveness to certification auditors?

Tested business impact analyses, clearly defined RTO/RPO targets, exercise evidence with lessons learned, and closed corrective actions from continuous improvement.

How often do we need to conduct exercises?

At least annually for the full BCMS, plus additional exercises after major changes to critical processes, technology, or organizational structure.

Can we certify multi-site operations with sampling?

Yes. Sampling is based on risk assessment and organizational size per certification body rules. We help optimize the sampling strategy to minimize audit costs.

How does ISO 22301 interact with ISO 27001?

They share risk management methodologies, enable joint exercises, and align incident response and recovery roles. Many organizations implement them together for comprehensive resilience.

Ready to Build Resilience That Works?

Get expert guidance on ISO 22301 implementation, training, and certification from AEC's business continuity specialists.

✓ Free consultation • ✓ No obligation quote • ✓ Expert BCMS guidance