Our client is responsible for managing one of Victoria’s largest local government areas. The council originally engaged Terra Firma in 2018 to conduct a Crisis Management exercise for their senior management group.

Terra Firma was re-engaged in 2019 to conduct a full scope Business Continuity Management program while transferring our knowledge to our client’s newly nominated Business Continuity Manager.

The 2018 exercise highlighted a range of issues in the council’s Crisis Management arrangements, Business Continuity plans and associated capabilities.

Terra Firma conducted the Business Continuity program over twelve months. This involved extensive stakeholder engagement across the council.

To support the ongoing need for maintaining and accessing Business Continuity information and plans, we implemented a comprehensive Business Continuity Management software solution (Castellan) within the program.

Our approach included:

• Development of Business Continuity Management policy and framework.
• Development of impact categories to establish a baseline for measurement of activity criticality.
• Delivery of Business Impact Analysis workshops across all council departments.
• Development of a Business Impact report that captured activity criticality and resources required to support the recovery of activities.
• Establishment of strategies to support the recovery of critical activities during a disruption.
• Implementation and roll-out of a Business Continuity Management tool (Castellan).
• Capture of Business Impact data and the development of Business Continuity and Crisis Management plans in the Castellan.
• Education sessions for key stakeholders.
• On-going support for the council’s Business Continuity Manager.

The project was suspended mid 2021 and is yet to restart. Terra Firma progressed to draft plans.

Since 2020, we have continued to work with the council and provide ad-hoc support to their Business Continuity program through our Continuity as a Service (CaaS) offering.