Business Continuity Checklist

Disruptions to business operations can arise from many causes, including IT failures, severe weather, supply chain interruptions and other unexpected events. Preparing in advance helps organisations minimise the impact of incidents and recover more quickly. This self-assessment checklist is designed to help you reflect on your current level of business continuity preparedness.

How to use this checklist

Answer each question with Yes or No. Give yourself one point for every Yes. Your total provides a snapshot of organisational resilience: a higher score indicates stronger preparedness. Use any No responses to pinpoint areas for further action.

Take The Test

1. Do you have a documented and up-to-date business continuity plan that covers critical operations?
Yes/No

2. Have you carried out a risk assessment in the past year to identify threats that could disrupt your organisation?  E.g. cyber-attack, supply chain issues, power cuts.
Yes/No

3. Have you identified your organisation’s most critical functions, processes, and dependencies (including suppliers and IT systems)?
Yes/No

4. Have you defined and communicated clear roles and responsibilities for staff during a disruption or emergency?
Yes/No

5. Do you have a tested plan for communicating with employees, customers, suppliers, and stakeholders during an incident?
Yes/No

6. Are your IT systems and data regularly backed up, with recovery procedures documented and tested in the last 6 months?
Yes/No

7. Do you have alternative work arrangements or remote working capabilities in case your usual premises become unavailable?
Yes/No

8. Have you rested or exercised your business continuity plan (e.g. tabletop exercises, simulations) in the past 12 months to validate its effectiveness?
Yes/No

9. Have staff received training or awareness sessions on business continuity procedures and their role in a disruption?
Yes/No

10. Do you review and update your business continuity arrangements after exercises or real incidents to learn and improve?
Yes/No

Interpreting your score

0–3 points: Low preparedness. Significant vulnerabilities.
4–6 points: Moderate preparedness. Some resilience in place, but gaps remain.
7–10 points: High preparedness. Well-developed capabilities and strong operational resilience.

How AJC Can Help

AJC designs and runs realistic business continuity exercises that fit your risks, people and operations. We plan the scenario, facilitate the session, and turn findings into a clear action plan.

• Scenario design and exercise planning

• Independent facilitation, on site or virtual

• Post-exercise report with prioritised actions and timelines

Ready to test your plan? Learn more about our Business Continuity Scenario Testing service.

Contact us on 020 7101 4861 or email us at info@ajollyconsulting.co.uk if you think we can help.