Many organisations in the transport & logistics sector admit they are failing to prepare for disruption, despite recording a dramatic increase in the level of upheaval caused by extreme weather conditions and high levels of people and skills loss, according to research, published by the Chartered Management Institute.
The 2007 Business Continuity Management Survey, supported by the Cabinet Office and Continuity Forum, reveals that one in two organisations in the transport & logistics sector were affected by extreme weather conditions in the 12 months to January 2007, an increase from less than one in ten the previous year.
In addition, 26 per cent said their organisation’s productivity had suffered due to a loss of skills over the past year. Thirty-three per cent focused on the impact caused by ‘loss of people’, the highest proportion since the question was first asked, in 2003. Twenty-one per cent blamed health and safety incidents for business disruption.
Although 84 per cent believe business continuity is viewed as important by their senior management team, the number whose organisations have a business continuity plan covering critical areas is much lower (49 per cent). Among medium- and small-sized organisations levels of preparation are lower still (42 and 34 per cent, respectively).
Even where BCPs exist, many organisations in the sector fail to balance levels of protection with what they perceive are key threats to business.
