The business case for ISO 22301 certification

Certifying to an ISO standard is a strategic decision for your organisation. As with all strategic decisions, you need to assess the negative and positive risks before you get started. 

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, more businesses than ever are planning certifying to ISO 22301. But will you see a return on your time, resource and monetary investment?

Our recent COVID-19 quality profession survey compares the response from organisations with ISO 22301 certification, those with a business continuity management system, and those with no business continuity plans in place during the pandemic. 

You can use the below evidence and data to support your ISO 22301 business case. 

1) Risk based approach 

Certification to ISO 22301 almost doubles your organisation's ability to embed risk based thinking during an uncontrollable, unavoidable event. 

• Over 70 percent of businesses with ISO 22301 certification rated their risk based approach to change management as either very or extremely effective during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Only 40 percent of businesses without a business continuity plan rated their risk based approach to change management as either very or extremely effective during the pandemic. 

Why is risk based thinking important? 

When there is a change in the business, this always has knock-on effects elsewhere in the business. A risk based approach to change management means we fully assess the opportunities, risks and other scenarios in a holistic and integrated manner. 

More on risk based thinking here

2) Customer experience

Certification to ISO 22301 almost doubles your organisation's ability to effectively communicate with customers during a crisis

• Almost 90 percent of organisations with ISO 22301 certification said they felt their communications with customers during the COVID-19 pandemic was very or extremely effective
• Only 55 percent of organisations without certification said their organisation effectively managed customer communications during the COVID-19 outbreak

3) Internal communications 

Certification to ISO 22301 improves internal communications during a crisis.

• 85 percent of organisations with ISO 22301 certification said their communications with employees was very or extremely effective during the COVID-19 outbreak
• Only 68 percent of organisations with no business continuity management system said they felt they effectively managed internal communications

How does ISO 22301 help with internal communications?

Implementing a formal business continuity management system provided a framework for assigning roles and responsibilities. 

4) Governance and leadership 

Certification to ISO 22301 improves governance during a crisis. 

• 85 percent of organisations with ISO 22301 certification rated their leadership and governance response to COVID-19 as very or extremely effective
• Only half of organisations with no business continuity management system rated their leadership & governance response as effective

Why is ISO 22301 important for governance and leadership?

Most leadership teams are provided very little in terms of formal training to respond to an external event. ISO 22301 provides a simple framework for helping leadership manage their responsibilities during an event. 

5) Managing support and roles

Certification to ISO 22301 improves how your business manages with a reduced workforce. 

• 74 percent of organisations with ISO 22301 certification said their organisation effectively managed support and roles during the pandemic. With the majority of organisations operating with a remote workforce or reduced staff during the pandemic, it was important that the employees knew their roles and responsibilities in order to keep the business operational. 

• Only 50 percent of organsiations without a business continuity management system said they effectively managed support and roles during the pandemic

How does ISO 22301 help manage support and roles?

Organisations who had formally been through the process and scenario planning for addressing reduced workforces were evidently better prepared for any critical event. 

To conclude: ISO 22301 improves risk management, communications, customer experience, leadership and role management 

As well as certification to ISO 22301, businesses found they relied more on their electronic quality management system during the outbreak.  EQMS provides a central tool to manage risk, communications, customer experience, governance responsibilities and roles - bringing to life your ISO 22301 business continuity management system.

For more information about EQMS, request a demonstration here.