Using Audits and Reviews to Assure Business Continuity

Audits provide independent assurance that business continuity arrangements remain effective, current and proportionate to risk.

This article links to IT and systems resilience and supports business continuity testing and assurance.

The role of audits in continuity assurance

Audits help providers move from assumption to evidence.

Types of continuity audits

Providers may use internal audits, peer reviews or external assurance depending on scale and risk.

Operational example: Documentation audit

An internal audit reviewed whether continuity plans reflected current staffing, systems and service delivery models.

Operational example: Staff awareness audit

Auditors interviewed frontline staff to assess awareness of emergency procedures.

Operational example: Post-incident review audit

Following a service disruption, leaders audited response effectiveness and follow-up actions.

Commissioner expectations

Commissioners expect providers to demonstrate that audit findings result in tangible improvements.

Regulatory expectations

Inspectors assess whether audits are meaningful rather than checklist-driven.

Closing the assurance loop

Effective providers track actions, deadlines and accountability following audits.