The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan for SMEs

This Tool is designed to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) during the COVID-19 crisis. Chiefly that means by designing a bespoke “Business Continuity Plan” (BCP) for your business. The tool will enable you to: 1. Assess the level of risk and vulnerability of your business; and 2. Develop an effective risk and contingency system for the business. This tool aims to establish the risk profile of your enterprises and the level of vulnerability to COVID-19 in terms of its impact on your People, Processes, Profits and Partnerships (the “4Ps”).  People: lives of workers and family members  Processes: enterprise operations  Profits: revenue generation  Partnerships: enabling environment to carry out business operations The tool is mostly targeted at smaller enterprises with limited resources and structured in two parts. 1. The first part is a risk assessment that you can quickly do. It establishes the level of risk/vulnerability to your enterprises. 2. The second part of the tool is a six-step process – using an illustrative example of a fictitious SME - to assist you develop your own Business Continuity Plan. The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan for SMEs  Date: April 2020 2 The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan Part 1: Establish your risk profile - Self-assessment Indicate your answers to the yes/no questions below with an X. There are four sections composed of a total of 60 questions structured around the “4Ps” ‘People, Processes, Profits and Partnerships’. You can estimate your vulnerability level by adding up the number of times your answer was “yes” in each questionnaire. Answer YES if you are not sure or don’t know. I. People: Risk Matrix Safe working environment 1. There are current personal safety risks such as a high number of COVID-19 cases in the geographical area of your operations. Yes No 2. It is physically unsafe for workers to come and go from the workplace (e.g. using shared public transport etc). Yes No 3. There has been an increase in sick leave/absenteeism. Yes No 4. Due to the nature of my business, it is not possible to re-arrange work so workers can work from home (telework). Yes No 5. You are experiencing difficulties sourcing sufficient sanitation facilities (washing facilities, sanitizers, hand gels, gloves, masks etc). Yes No 6. Vehicles used for your business (e.g. delivery, staff movement) have not yet been fitted with sanitizers and processes for regular cleaning. Yes No 7. Workers have increased care/family responsibilities due to school closure or sick family members. Yes No 8. There have been cases of internal transmission of COVID-19 by staff members or their immediate family members. Yes No 9. Workers are less motivated due to a stressful working environment resulting from measures taken to address COVID-19. Yes No 10. Workers are leaving their jobs because of potential or actual safety concerns and/or incidents. Yes No 11. Discriminatory/stigmatization behaviour among workers have led to threats and intimidation of fellow workers. Yes No 12. Close physical contact with customers/suppliers is necessary. Yes No The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan 3 II. Processes: Risk Matrix 13. Workers have experienced personal trauma such as death or sickness of family members as a result of COVID-19. Yes No 14. Close proximity in the workplace is necessary for production/service delivery purposes Yes No 15. There is no staff member responsible for daily review of official advice on risks and recommendations in relations to COVID-19. Yes No 16. There are no or few procedures to conduct self-inspections to identify hazards that could result in COVID-19 spreading (e.g. regular health and safety checkups conducted). Yes No 17. There are no or few regular audits in your premises to identify current or emerging hazards (e.g., areas requiring frequent physical touch). Yes No 18. Workers are currently not provided with direct training (or access to training) on COVID-19 preparedness and basic measures to protect themselves and others. Yes No 19. My business does not have a process for reporting to public health authorities any known or suspected instances of workers or the public confirmed with COVID-19 on the business premises. Yes No Total __________ / 19 Buildings and machinery 20. You have faced difficulties accessing the necessary equipment and machinery to run your business from suppliers. Yes No 21. There has been disruption or significant delays to support services that you need for maintenance of key equipment and machinery. Yes No 22. Your business (e.g. workers, equipment and livestock) is neither partly nor fully insured. Yes No Stock and raw materials 23. A high percentage of your raw materials are imported. Yes No 24. You have experienced delays in securing raw materials/ necessary production inputs through ports. Yes No 4 The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan III. Profits: Risk Matrix 25. You have experienced difficulties in securing your key stock and raw materials. Yes No 26. Your enterprise has been negatively impacted by increased government restrictions/demands (for example increased Health checks delaying delivery of products coming/going from your premise). Yes No 27. Your main stocks and/or raw materials are located in only one location. Yes No Total __________ / 8 Markets 28. COVID-19 disruptions are negatively impacting your clients and their ability to buy your products or services. Yes No 29. Official government measures relating to health concerns for the overall population are negatively affecting your business sales. Yes No 30. You have a high percentage of goods/services that serve non-domestic markets. Yes No 31. These markets are located in medium to high-risk countries. Yes No 32. There has been a decrease in sales to these markets. Yes No Suppliers 33. Disruptions are negatively impacting on your main suppliers and their ability to supply inputs to your enterprise. Yes No 34. You have experienced disruptions in your supplies due to increased government restrictions. Yes No 35. You have only one supply route to access your key suppliers. Yes No 36. You do not have alternative suppliers that could provide goods and services in case of disruption. Yes No 37. You rely heavily on foreign suppliers for most of the key inputs and raw materials needed for your business (over 75 per cent of key inputs) Yes No The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan 5 IV. Partnerships: Risk Matrix Society 38. There has been a rise in "societal" intolerance and prejudice as evidenced in the media, street demonstrations and political discourse, among others. Yes No 39. The current media environment has negatively influenced the working environment. Yes No Economic environment 40. COVID-19 is impacting on economic activity that directly impacts your business or the markets you operate in or you expect it to. Yes No 41. Unemployment rates are rising in the markets you operate in. Yes No 42. There has been an increase in actual criminal activity or increased risk of criminal activity directed at your enterprise as a result of depressed economic activity. Yes No 43. There has been a sudden increase in the price of inputs and other goods required to conduct your business operations. Yes No Total __________ / 16 Public utilities (water, electricity, health, sanitation) 44. There has been significant or ongoing disruptions of key public utilities (water, electricity, telecoms, health and sanitation) that has negatively impacted your business or the markets you operate in. Yes No 45. There has been significant or ongoing disruptions of key public utilities (water, electricity, telecoms, health and sanitation) that has negatively impacted your workers (i.e. sanitation facilities at home). Yes No 46. There has been negative or sudden change of the costs related to public utilities. Yes No 47. There has been an increase in corruptive practices for access to public utilities or public infrastructure (such as health care). Yes No Third parties (costumers, competitors and financial providers) 6 The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan 48. COVID-19 disruptions are negatively impacting your competitors and their ability to remain competitive. Yes No 49. There is limited or no scope to collaborate with competitors – to share health and safety practices/equipment. Yes No 50. There is limited or no scope to collaborate with competitors –to share stock. Yes No 51. There is limited or no scope to collaborate with competitors –to share equipment. Yes No 52. It is more difficult to access finance or the behaviour of financial services providers (e.g. increased lending obligations, less choice of providers, etc.) is negatively impacting your enterprise operations. Yes No Public infrastructure (telecommunications, roads, ports) 53. Restrictions to accessing public infrastructure have been put in place that negatively impacts your enterprise or the markets you operate in or your workers. Yes No 54. There is increased costs of using key public infrastructure that negatively impacts your enterprise or the markets you operate in. Yes No Political and regulatory environment 55. There has been any negative or sudden change of regulations (i.e. laws and regulations) that negatively impacts your enterprise or the markets you operate in. Yes No 56. There is an increased uncertainty in policy/regulatory environment that could negatively impact your enterprise or the markets you operate in. Yes No 57. Has there been any negative or sudden change of regulations (i.e. laws and regulations) that negatively impacts on your workers? Yes No 58. The government has not yet introduced subsidies (e.g. rent or wage subsidies) that could help my business and workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Yes No Overall health 59. Measures such as “State of Emergency’ or major restrictions on freedom of movement have been put in place or threatened to be put in place? Yes No 60. My business does not have a contingency plan for situations of crises. Yes No Total __________ / 17 The six-step COVID-19 business continuity plan 7 From this exercise, you will have identified which of the 4P’s (people, processes, profits and partnerships) your enterprise is most vulnerable too (and which aspects or variables in particular). To calculate your total vulnerability, add up the times you answered “yes” in the four vulnerability selfassessments. Insert this sum in the cell below

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