Improving Communications & Engagement with Business: The national view Dan Jones Strategy & Communications, CC

1. Improving Communications & Engagement with Business: The national view Dan Jones Strategy & Communications, CCS Cabinet Office Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection 26 June 2006

2. Aims • Agreed long term programme of work …To improve two-way communications • Messages & guidance from Govt to business (cascading) • Gaining business view on civil protection issues …To maintain frameworks for engagement • At all levels – national, regional & local …To improve support for businesses • Risk information & planning assumptions • Business continuity guidance • Communication mechanisms for support …To tackle specific issues • Issues where closer engagement between Govt & business would be valuable • Specific risks (e.g. flu pandemic)

3. Key Initiatives • Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection • Launched by Hazel Blears in March 2006…. • Preparing for Emergencies website • What Businesses Can do • MI5 – “Protecting Against Terrorism” www.pfe.gov.uk

4. www.pfe.gov.uk

5. Meeting the need…. • What do businesses want? • Chartered Management Institute Business Continuity Survey May 2006 • Locating information about BCM • “The internet was the most preferred delivery format, picked by 70% of respondents. Just over half (53%) preferred published material, 23% would look for published materials such as handbooks, 20% would want speaker events or seminars, while just 15% looked for benchmarking schemes.” • What type of information? • “Asked what additional information on BCM would be useful, half (50%) of respondents said that guidance on creating a BCP would be helpful. 42% said that case studies would be useful, while 37% would look for information on potential disruptions and 28% would like more information on the business case for BCM.”

6. What’s on there?

8. What can you do to help? • Promoting PfE and Govt guidance for businesses • Cascading within your organisations • Linking to PfE from your websites • Cascading/linking to key publications which promote business continuity • E.g. Pandemic Influenza Checklist for Businesses • Helping with content • Business Continuity Case Studies • Guidance for other businesses

9. Feedback • What do you think of PfE? • Is the content right? • What further information/guidance would you and your members welcome?

10. Other sources of information for business • PfE brings all relevant Govt materials together onto one website. • You will see links to the following…..

11. www.ukresilience.info

12. www.londonprepared.gov.uk www.mi5.gov.uk www.businesslink.gov.uk www.fsc.gov.uk

13. Links to local sources of support & guidance…..

14. Improving Communications & Engagement with Business: The local perspective Dan Greaves Head of Civil Contingencies Act Implementation Team, CCS Cabinet Office Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection 26 June 2006

16. Civil Contingencies Act • Modern framework for major emergency planning at the local level • Focuses on preparedness of front-line responders: • Clear set of roles and responsibilities • Framework for multi-agency working • Sound basis for performance assessment • “Community resilience” a key theme: • Raising public awareness • Promoting effective business continuity management

17. BCM promotion: rationale • Building “Community resilience” • Helping organisations to help themselves • Reduce economic impact of emergencies • Reduce reliance on public sector bodies • Local engagement because: • Effective delivery of national policy via local partners • We plan for and respond to emergencies locally • Need to reflect local variations (e.g. risk profile, emergency management arrangements) • Building stronger links with the business community

18. Scope of the duty: awareness raising • Must provide generic advice and assistance to the business and voluntary sector communities at large • Light-touch awareness raising duty • Messages: (e.g.) risks, local civil protection arrangements, steps businesses can take • Means of communication: websites, bulletins, public meetings, forums

19. Scope of duty: specific advice • May provide more detailed advice and assistance to individual organisations • Discretionary, not compulsory • Likely to involve: company specific presentations, risk assessment, plan development, exercising, training

20. What does this mean in practice? • Duty came into force on May 15 • Examples of work up and running: • General advice and assistance (Leeds City Centre Network, Berkshire Regional Business Continuity Forum) • Specific advice and assistance (Corporation of London, Norfolk Major Incident Team) • Local authorities progressively rolling out new programmes: • London Prepared • West Yorkshire & North East • Cabinet Office role: • Provided national framework and signposting local advice • Sharing good practice • Ensuring coherence of message and branding

21. We need your assistance • Raising awareness: • Flag the issue up to your members • Draw attention to national and local sources of advice • Engaging with those providing advice locally: • Advice on messages and how to deliver them • Access to networks • Ensuring that doors are open, not shut • Providing feedback on forthcoming national material Is this something you can help with? Would a briefing sheet be helpful?

22. Questions?