Course Outline

Module 1: Foundations of Crisis Management & Business Continuity

• Understanding types of crises (e.g., natural, financial, cyber, regulatory)

• Key concepts: Crisis Lifecycle, Risk vs. Crisis vs. Business Continuity

• Governance framework in crisis management (roles of leadership, legal, compliance)

• Definition and importance of continuity planning

• Key principles: resilience, recovery, and risk mitigation

• Overview of relevant local and international regulations (e.g., ISO 22301, GDPR)

• Compliance responsibilities in a crisis environment

• Hands on activity: Identify and analyze real-world crisis events from an organizational perspective.

Module 2: Risk Assessment and Crisis Readiness

• Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and its role in crisis planning

• Conducting a compliance risk assessment during crises

• Identifying critical functions and resources

• Prioritizing business activities for continuity

• Designing crisis scenarios based on organizational context

• Simulating and assessing the impact of various crisis scenarios

• Hands-on Activity: Conduct a mock risk assessment for a compliance crisis and create a risk register.

Module 3: Business Continuity Planning (BCP)

• Components of an effective business continuity plan: governance, roles, and responsibilities

• Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)

• Data backup, IT disaster recovery, remote work protocols, and alternate facilities

• Legal and compliance considerations in business continuity planning

• Ensuring BCPs comply with industry regulations and standards

• Audit and reporting requirements in crisis preparedness

• Hands-on Activity: Design and present a BCP for a business unit with a focus on compliance functions and critical operations.

Module 4: Crisis Response & Regulatory Alignment

• Key steps in responding to a crisis: Identification, Containment, Mitigation, and Recovery

• Incident Command System (ICS) and crisis management team roles

• Managing compliance risks during a crisis (legal, financial, reputational)

• Documentation and audit trails for compliance reporting during a crisis

• Developing crisis communication plans for internal and external stakeholders

• Role of compliance in communicating with regulators, customers, and partners

• Hands-on Activity: Run a crisis response simulation focusing on compliance reporting, crisis management, and decision-making.

Module 5: Recovery, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement

• Immediate recovery, short-term stabilization, and long-term continuity

• Aligning recovery efforts with business goals and compliance obligations

• Conducting After-Action Reviews (AARs) and capturing lessons learned

• Updating BCPs and crisis response plans based on findings

• Building resilience and preparedness across teams

• Promoting continuous improvement through regular testing and drills

• Hands-on Activity: Prepare a crisis recovery plan, present to peers for feedback, and finalize key improvement actions for organizational resilience.