Ensuring continuity in the fight against cancer
Client : Cancer Research UK
Overview
Cancer Research UK is the world's leading independent organisation dedicated to cancer research. The charity supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of more than 4,250 scientists, doctors and nurses in 35 different locations in the UK.
Funded almost entirely by donations, Cancer Research UK spent £315m on scientific research in 2006/07. In addition to improving the lives of all cancer patients, Cancer Research UK works in partnership with other health and research organisations in the global fight against cancer.
The Business Requirement
Cancer Research UK recognised that its existing crisis management procedures were not sufficient to protect the key areas of the business — from fundraising to research giving — in the event of a disruption.
Therefore, they identified a requirement to establish and implement a clear structure, with supporting business continuity plans, for ensuring a successful response to, and recovery from, an unplanned disruption affecting its critical activities. In addition, they wanted to establish and embed a formal framework for the on-going management of the structure.
The Solution
Garrison Continuity was selected due to our wide-ranging experience and our ability to demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the charity and its business.
Our first task was to address the technology risk items already highlighted by Cancer Research UK, before using an assessment of financial and operational impact to identify the critical business processes. We then used this information to develop a range of options, with costs, for reducing risk, increasing resilience and establishing an effective continuity/recovery capability.
Once Cancer Research UK had selected its preferred strategies, we formalised an incident response structure, developed a set of business continuity plans and completed tabletop exercises with all those people with key response/recovery roles.
The final stage was to define the framework for the on-going management of business continuity and to publish a timetable of activities designed to raise awareness levels across the charity.
