Business Continuity Plan + Guide

The 48-page Business Continuity Plan + Guide is an FCA-aligned guide designed to ensure operational resilience in the financial services sector. Built on SYSC 4.1, SUP 15.3, and the 2025 FCA updates, it minimises disruptions, protects clients, and ensures compliance during crises such as IT failures or pandemics.

It details risk identification, impact analysis, response strategies, and recovery processes, with customisable templates for incident logs and recovery plans. Supporting SMCR accountability, FCA audits, and resilience testing, it safeguards operations and market trust.

Includes:

• Regulatory Framework (FCA SYSC Requirements)

• Key Business Continuity Principles

• Governance and Oversight

• Identification of Critical Business Functions

• Assessment of Operational Risks

• Impact Assessment of Disruptions

• Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)

• Dependencies on Third-Party Vendors

• Identification of Key Risks (Operational, Cybersecurity, Financial)

• Assessment of Internal and External Threats

• Impact and Likelihood Analysis

• Preventative and Mitigating Measures

• Core Continuity Principles and Recovery Priorities

• Incident Classification and Response Framework

• Activation Criteria for the BCP

• Alternative Work Arrangements (Remote Working, Office Relocation)

• IT Resilience and Cybersecurity Recovery

• Crisis Management Team (CMT) Structure and Responsibilities

• Emergency Communication Protocols

• Incident Reporting and Escalation Procedures

• Coordination with External Stakeholders (FCA, Clients, Third Parties)

• Media and Public Relations Strategy

• IT Infrastructure and Systems Inventory

• Data Backup and Recovery Strategies

• Cybersecurity Threat Response and Resilience

• Cloud Services and System Redundancy

• System Restoration Procedures

• Key Supplier and Third-Party Dependencies

• Outsourcing Risk Assessment

• Contingency Planning for Critical Vendors

• Due Diligence and Ongoing Monitoring of Service Providers

• Key Staff and Training Requirements

• Maintaining Financial Stability During Disruptions

• Liquidity Risk Management and Contingency Funding

• Insurance Coverage and Claims Management

• Stress Testing and Scenario Analysis

• Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Testing Framework and Frequency

• Tabletop Exercises and Simulation Drills

• Lessons Learned and Continuous Improvement

• Alignment with FCA Business Continuity Expectations

• FCA Reviews and Regulatory Submissions