Partnership Created to Expand Adoption of the International Standard for Business Continuity Management in the U.S.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. & RESTON, Va. (Business Wire EON) July 15, 2008 -- The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) USA Chapter and BSI America have joined forces to help U.S. businesses better prepare for disaster by encouraging the adoption of the international business continuity management standard, BS25999. The partnership will encourage businesses large and small, as well as municipal, state and federal government agencies, to adopt best practices concerning business continuity and disaster recovery planning.

Although there is currently no law that mandates such practices, the guidelines set forth by Title IX, Private Sector Preparedness, strongly encourage small- and medium-sized businesses to develop a current and well-rehearsed plan to be prepared for unforeseen events, and both organizations want to help them accomplish that important task.

The BS25999 standard was introduced in 2006 by BSI, the world's first national standards body, to provide the best practices for organizational business continuity. BS25999 has become the most widely accepted and robust standard of its kind around the world. BCI and BSI will use their respective strengths of certifying the individual practitioner and auditing the organization to provide a service to businesses of all sizes, i.e., helping them better prepare for, and able to recover more quickly from, disasters.

“BCI and BSI are both thought leaders in the business continuity industry and strong proponents of the business continuity management standard BS25999, so this partnership is a natural fit,” said Kathleen Lucey, president, BCI USA Chapter. “Although there is currently no law that mandates such practices, the guidelines set forth by Title IX, Private Sector Preparedness, strongly encourage small- and medium-sized businesses to develop a current and well-rehearsed plan to be prepared for unforeseen events, and both organizations want to help them accomplish that important task.”

The partnership will be formally launched in the fall of 2008 in New York City at the first annual BCI USA Chapter workshop, followed by regional events, support for regional continuity and disaster recovery planner events, and other educational forums. In addition to sharing their expertise for the good of the community, BCI and BSI will offer cross-partnership discounts on products and training.

“With the Title IX initiative getting closer to implementation, many businesses are taking a closer look at their business continuity and disaster recovery plans,” said Gary Pearsons, president, BSI America. “The BCI USA Chapter is a highly reputed and professional organization and we are proud to be working with them to help ensure that necessary steps are being taken to assist businesses in avoiding irreparable damage during and after a time of crisis.”

Further details and information on upcoming events can be found by visiting www.thebci-usa.org and www.bsiamerica.com. Additional information about organizational events and augmenting professional standing can be found by contacting:

About the Business Continuity Institute USA Chapter

The BCI USA Chapter was officially established as a not-for-profit corporation in the state of Florida on April 24, 2008 and is based in Daytona Beach Shores. The BCI USA Chapter now joins other BCI country chapters in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the Far East Region. The BCI is the recognized global leader in setting and validating standards of professional competence and ethics in business continuity management, and provides a variety of professional support services to its members. Visit: www.thebci-usa.org and www.thebcicertificate.org

About BSI Management Systems

BSI, Inc. is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with offices in Toronto, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico, to serve the North American market. BSI is truly a pioneering organization. It was the world's first national standards body, and a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). BSI facilitated and published the first commercial standards to address quality management systems, environmental management systems, occupational health and safety management systems, project management and information security management. Visit: www.bsiamerica.com

Release Summary:

The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) USA Chapter and BSI America have joined forces to help businesses better prepare for disaster by encouraging the adoption of the international business continuity management standard, BS25999.

Keyword Tags:

bci, bs25999, bsi, business continuity, certification, disaster recovery, emergency management, emergency preparedness, homeland security act, title ix

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