Business Continuity Plan

  1. Purpose
    The Business Continuity Plan (BCP) ensures Melrose Labs can continue operations during and after a disruption, minimising impact on services and stakeholders.
  2. Scope
    Applies to all critical business functions, IT systems, infrastructure, and personnel responsible for service delivery.
  3. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
    • Identifies critical systems and processes.
    • Assesses risks and potential impact of disruptions.
    • Defines Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO).
  4. Business Continuity Strategies
    • Data and System Redundancy: Offsite backups, cloud replication, and failover mechanisms.
    • Alternative Work Arrangements: Remote work capabilities for key staff.
    • Incident Response and Escalation: Clear procedures for assessing incidents and activating the BCP.
  5. Incident Response Plan
    • Activation Criteria: BCP is triggered when disruption affects critical business functions.
    • Communication Plan: Stakeholder notifications, media handling, and status updates.
    • Roles & Responsibilities: Defined roles for leadership, IT, and operations teams.
  6. Recovery Procedures
    • IT and Data Recovery: Restore services in priority order based on BIA.
    • Facilities Recovery: If office space is unavailable, shift operations to secondary locations.
    • Customer and Supplier Coordination: Ensure continued service through alternative providers if needed.
  7. Testing & Maintenance
    • Annual BCP testing through simulations and tabletop exercises.
    • Periodic reviews to update strategies based on new risks and business changes.
  8. Compliance & Review
    The BCP is reviewed annually or following major incidents to align with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.