Assuring Business Continuity Through Governance and Oversight

Business continuity assurance is fundamentally a governance issue. Commissioners and regulators expect providers to demonstrate that continuity risks are actively overseen, reviewed and improved at leadership level.

This article supports business continuity testing and assurance and aligns with workforce assurance.

Why governance matters in continuity assurance

Plans and tests alone do not provide assurance unless leaders understand risks, controls and limitations.

Board and senior leadership accountability

Clear accountability for continuity sits with directors, trustees or senior leadership teams.

Operational example: Board-level review cycle

A provider scheduled six-monthly board reviews of continuity testing outcomes, linking them to the corporate risk register.

Operational example: Registered manager assurance reports

Registered managers submitted quarterly assurance statements confirming local continuity readiness.

Operational example: Escalation and decision logs

During live incidents, leaders recorded decisions and learning for post-incident review.

Commissioner expectations

Commissioners expect named accountable officers and evidence that continuity risks are monitored and escalated.

Regulatory expectations

Inspectors look for leadership oversight rather than reliance on generic policies.

Linking assurance to quality governance

Strong providers integrate continuity assurance into audit programmes, quality meetings and annual reports.