Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of a BCMS and the principles of ISO 22301:2019.
• Interpret the specific requirements of the standard, including BIA and risk assessment.
• Apply the principles and techniques of auditing as defined by ISO 19011.
• Plan, lead, and manage a BCMS audit team and program.
• Conduct effective audits of the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) process.
• Assess the adequacy of continuity strategies and the effectiveness of recovery plans.
• Prepare comprehensive and factual audit reports that identify nonconformities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of BCMS testing, exercising, and review activities.

• Business Continuity Managers and Coordinators.
• Risk, Compliance, and Governance Professionals.
• Internal Auditors seeking to specialize in BCMS.
• IT and Disaster Recovery Managers.
• Consultants involved in ISO 22301 implementation.
• Personnel responsible for managing organizational resilience and crisis response.

• Case Studies focused on major business disruptions and recovery failures.
• Practical Exercises in Auditing a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) report.
• Group Simulation: Evaluating a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) against a scenario.
• Role-Playing: Interviewing top management on organizational resilience.
• Discussions on the challenges of testing and exercising BCMS plans.

Unit 1: Fundamentals of Business Continuity and ISO 22301

• The scope and purpose of ISO 22301:2019 and its link to organizational resilience.
• Understanding the High-Level Structure (HLS) and core BCMS concepts.
• Auditing the Context of the Organization and stakeholder requirements.
• Auditing Leadership commitment and the BCMS Policy.

• In-depth auditing of the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) process and its outputs (RTO/RPO).
• Auditing the process for risk assessment and treatment selection.
• Auditing the development of Business Continuity Strategies.
• Auditing the communication and competence requirements for BCMS.

Unit 2: Audit Principles and Program Leadership (ISO 19011)

• Review of the principles of auditing and their application to BCMS.
• Roles, responsibilities, and necessary competence of a BCMS Lead Auditor.
• Establishing, implementing, and managing the BCMS audit program.
• Leading the audit team and resolving conflicts.

Unit 3: Planning the BCMS Audit

• Defining the scope, objectives, and criteria for the BCMS audit.
• Risk-based audit planning focusing on critical business processes identified by the BIA.
• Conducting a thorough desktop review of the BCMS documentation and response plans.
• Developing process-based audit checklists and work documents.

Unit 4: Conducting the BCMS Audit and Response Plan Verification

• Effective interviewing techniques for top management and operational personnel.
• Gathering objective evidence on the adequacy of recovery resources and arrangements.
• Auditing the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans.
• Verifying the results and completeness of BCMS testing and exercising.

• Determining conformity, nonconformity, and opportunities for improvement.
• Writing clear, concise, and evidence-supported nonconformity statements related to BCMS gaps.
• Managing the closing meeting and communication of preliminary findings.

Unit 5: Reporting, Closure, and Corrective Action

• Structuring and compiling the final ISO 22301 audit report.
• Formal audit closure and record retention.
• Auditing the Corrective Action process for BCMS failures or nonconformities.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of corrective actions and preventive measures.
• Integrating audit results and lessons learned into the BCMS management review.
• Maintaining Lead Auditor competence and knowledge of emerging threats.