The recommendation comes from consultant, Bob Turnbull, a business continuity management expert who has spent time in the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa.
The mandate would be for all companies regardless of size, and is an effort to ensure that resilience is built into the supply chains of these businesses. The call for the mandate comes at a time when business preparedness issues are highlighted due to the various and recent series of natural catastrophes around the world.
The mandate for the Caribbean Nations would put them ahead of many others, including the United States in calling for mandatory business contingency plans not just for large companies or critical infrastructure, but for all businesses regardless of size.
As I mentioned in a previous posting, many calls are coming for increased business continuity and I expect this to be a continuing trend for much of 2011. What most businesses need to understand is that great business continuity is not a once in a while or sometimes thing or even an exercise to do one a year. Planning is not a product, but a process that should be improved upon and changed as your business changes.