November 19, 2008—ASIS International and BSI British Standards have announced they will collaborate on the development of a Business Continuity Management (BCM) American National Standard. The standard will be based on the recently published British Standard, BS 25999 standard (Part 1—Code of Practice; Part 2—Specification), eliminating confusion in the marketplace by providing a unified approach to BCM on both sides of the Atlantic.
The new American National Standard will provide a clear roadmap for developing, implementing, and improving the effectiveness of an organization’s business continuity management plan. It will provide criteria that can be objectively audited by third parties, thereby assuring company stakeholders that an appropriate BCM plan is in place.
ASIS says the standard will help organizations put into place a comprehensive plan for preparedness, which will address the intent of Title IX. There will be reciprocation between the two standards, allowing companies to start building their BCM programs immediately, without having to wait for the new American National Standard.
ASIS will establish a technical committee comprised of business continuity program managers, service providers, and other interested parties to develop the standard. For more information, write to standards@asisonline.org.
