Creating Valuable... Business Continuity Planning

The Critical Importance of Business Continuity Planning in Business – And How Creating Valuable Ltd Can Help

In today’s unpredictable world, business continuity planning (BCP) isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a lifeline. From cyberattacks to natural disasters, disruptions can strike any organisation, regardless of size or sector. Just look at the recent closure of Heathrow Airport on March 21, 2025—a power outage from a substation fire grounded over 1,350 flights, stranded 200,000 passengers, and cost the UK economy an estimated £180 million to £370 million. Why? A lack of robust contingency measures exposed single points of failure. For business owners, private equity (PE) investors, and venture capital (VC) stakeholders, this is a wake-up call: without a solid BCP, your revenue, reputation, and resilience are at risk.

At Creating Valuable Ltd, our consultants specialise in helping UK businesses craft and manage business continuity plans that don’t just sit on a shelf—they work when you need them most. More importantly, we bring an external perspective, offering friendly yet rigorous challenges to ensure your BCP stands up to real-world threats. Internal teams can sometimes cut corners or rush the process, but a third-party lens asks the tough “what if” questions without the baggage of internal dynamics. Here’s why BCP matters, how to build it right, and why partnering with us could be your smartest move yet.

Why Business Continuity Planning Matters for UK Businesses

Business continuity planning ensures your company can operate—or quickly recover—during and after a disruption. Whether it’s a flood in your warehouse, a ransomware attack on your servers, or a global supply chain snag, a strong BCP minimises downtime, protects revenue, and safeguards your brand. For PE and VC investors, it’s also a due diligence must-have—portfolio companies with weak continuity plans are ticking time bombs that erode value.

The stakes are high. Research from the British Standards Institution (BSI) shows that 80% of businesses affected by a major incident either never reopen or close within 18 months if they lack a continuity plan. Meanwhile, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports that UK SMEs lose £1.6 billion annually to disruptions—many preventable with proper planning. For business owners and investors, this isn’t just about survival; it’s about thriving in uncertainty.

The Risks of Internal BCP Development

Here’s the rub: many businesses task internal teams with creating their BCP, only to end up with a flimsy document that ticks boxes but doesn’t hold up. Why? Internal staff, however well-meaning, often face pressures to take the path of least resistance. They might rush the process, overlook vulnerabilities, or avoid tough questions to keep the peace. After all, no one wants to be the “negative” voice in the room.

This is where external consultants—like our team at Creating Valuable Ltd—shine. We bring an impartial, supportive challenge to your BCP. Our outside perspective cuts through internal biases and asks the critical “what if” scenarios: What if your sole supplier goes bust? What if your IT system is down for 72 hours? These aren’t confrontational—they’re constructive. And because we’re not embedded in your day-to-day, we can push harder without ruffling feathers.

The Business Continuity Planning Process – A Step-by-Step Guide

Building a robust BCP isn’t rocket science, but it does require structure, foresight, and stress-testing. Below, we outline the process we guide clients through at Creating Valuable Ltd, ensuring your plan is practical, resilient, and tailored to your business.

Step 1: Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Start by identifying what keeps your business running. A Business Impact Analysis (BIA) pinpoints critical functions—like production, customer service, or IT systems—and assesses the financial and operational fallout if they’re disrupted. For example, if your e-commerce site goes offline, how much revenue do you lose per hour?

How We Help: Our consultants dive into your operations, mapping dependencies and risks with a fresh, external eye. We ask questions your team might miss, like, “What if your cloud provider fails?” This ensures no stone is left unturned.

Step 2: Identify Risks and Threats

Next, catalogue potential disruptions. These could be physical (fires, floods), technological (cyberattacks, hardware failure), or human (key staff leaving). The Heathrow incident proves even “unlikely” events—like a substation fire—can happen.

How We Help: We leverage industry benchmarks and real-world case studies to challenge your assumptions. Our friendly “what if” scenarios—e.g., “What if your office is inaccessible for a week?”—push you to think beyond the obvious.

Step 3: Develop Response Strategies

For each risk, craft a strategy. This might mean backup power generators, remote working protocols, or alternative suppliers. The goal? Minimise downtime and keep critical functions alive.

How We Help: We don’t just suggest solutions—we test them. Our team collaborates with you to simulate disruptions, ensuring your strategies are actionable, not theoretical. PE and VC investors love this—it proves your business can weather storms.

Step 4: Document the Plan

A BCP isn’t useful if it’s vague or inaccessible. Document clear steps: who does what, how to communicate, and where backups are stored. Keep it simple but comprehensive.

How We Help: We streamline your plan into a user-friendly format, cutting jargon and fluff. Our external perspective ensures it’s written for clarity, not just compliance.

Step 5: Train Your Team

A plan’s only as good as the people executing it. Train staff on their roles and run drills to iron out kinks.

How We Help: We design engaging, practical training sessions—think tabletop exercises or mock crises. Our informal approach keeps teams motivated, not overwhelmed.

Step 6: Test and Refine Regularly

Threats evolve, so your BCP must too. Test it annually (or after major changes) and update it based on lessons learned.

How We Help: We lead stress-tests, throwing curveballs like “What if your CEO is unavailable?” This external challenge ensures your plan stays robust, not stagnant.

Why External Consultants Are Essential for BCP Success

Internal teams bring valuable knowledge, but they’re often too close to the business to see the full picture. At Creating Valuable Ltd, we offer three key advantages:

1. Objectivity: We’re not swayed by internal politics or “that’s how we’ve always done it” thinking. Our fresh perspective spots risks others miss.

2. Expertise: With experience across industries, we benchmark your BCP against best practices, ensuring it’s investor-ready and future-proof.

3. Challenge Without Conflict: Our friendly, supportive style lets us ask hard questions—“What if your backup fails?”—without sparking defensiveness.

For PE and VC investors, this third-party validation is gold. A BCP vetted by external experts signals a business that’s serious about resilience—and value preservation.

The ROI of a Strong Business Continuity Plan

Investing in BCP isn’t a cost—it’s a return. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that businesses with effective continuity plans recover 50% faster than those without. For SMEs, that could mean saving millions in lost revenue. For PE/VC-backed firms, it’s about protecting valuations and ensuring exits aren’t derailed by avoidable crises.

Take a manufacturing client we worked with at Creating Valuable Ltd. Their internal BCP assumed a single supplier was “reliable.” We challenged that—“What if they go under?”—and helped them diversify. Months later, that supplier hit a cash crunch, but our client kept production humming. That’s the power of external insight.

Partner with Creating Valuable Ltd for BCP That Works

Business continuity planning isn’t a one-and-done task—it’s a strategic advantage. At Creating Valuable Ltd, we don’t just build plans; we build resilience. Our consultants bring a blend of expertise, objectivity, and a down-to-earth approach to ensure your BCP can handle anything—from a power cut to a pandemic.

For business owners, it’s peace of mind. For PE and VC investors, it’s a safeguard on your investment. Don’t let a weak plan be your Heathrow moment. Contact us today to discuss how we can stress-test and strengthen your business continuity strategy. Let’s make sure your business doesn’t just survive—it thrives, no matter what.