In recent years the business environment has become extremely volatile. Global economic instability, efficiency by specialism, information technology dependency and the rise in consumer power have all made organisations vulnerable.   

Many businesses rely on hyper-extended, and often opaque, supply chains and each day we read about organisations, facing some form of crisis or disruption triggered by a diverse range of situations such as: severe weather, data losses, natural disasters, product recalls, corporate fraud, compliance failures, sexual harassment, workplace violence, fire and pandemic to name a but a few. 

If the situation is handled well, the organisation flourishes. But if the situation is handled badly the immediate and long-term impacts on the organisation’s profitability, reputation and market position can be very bad indeed, and often terminal.  

Having been responsible for managing risk and the consequences of disruption in a number of organisations, I know first-hand that the theory is fairly straightforward, but the practice is fraught with difficulties due to issues such as operational pressures, resource and knowledge constraints and conflicting agendas.  

There are lots of practical tools that can help, such as risk trackers and third-party hot sites etc., and plenty of skills you can acquire such as organisational change, business continuity, crisis and disaster management etc., However, by themselves they are not enough. 

Being resilient as a business means being able to adapt in the face of changing circumstances to not simply survive but also to prosper. It is also not just about short-term response but ensuring that the organisation is always well positioned to prosper in the future environment. 

Business Resilience is therefore as much about practical action as it is about culture and behaviors. I set up The Business Resilience Company to help organisations develop the skills to adapt in the face of changing circumstances and develop the will and grit to not simply survive but to prosper in the 21^st Century risk environment. 

Please get in contact if you like to find out more about our methods and the team.