This policy is current as at 26/02/2021 12:38pm, AEDT. Please refer to policy library website (https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library) for an updated version.
This policy sets out the arrangements for the NSW Department of Education to ensure that critical services are maintained and restored following a disruptive event.
1.1 The department provides, funds and regulates education services for NSW students from early childhood to secondary school. The operational, financial, social and political consequences of a major disruption to critical services would be unacceptable.
1.2 This policy and its supporting documents aim to ensure that the department has arrangements in place to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from a disruptive event so that critical business functions and services are maintained at an acceptable level.
1.3 Senior executives (Deputy Secretaries, executive directors or directors) are required to assess and manage the risks of disruption to critical business functions for which they are accountable.
1.4 Senior executives accountable for critical business functions are required to develop, maintain and test business continuity plans (BCPs) at least on an annual basis to ensure that essential services are maintained at an acceptable level during a major disruptive event, and restored to full functionality within an acceptable timeframe. This includes review of their business impact analysis to ensure all relevant critical business functions are captured in their BCP.
1.5 Senior executives who are responsible for the delivery of one or more critical business functions are referred to as the business continuity owner of their BCP.
1.6 Each BCP must identify the senior executive(s) with the authority to approve and activate (and deactivate) the relevant BCPs in the event of a localised business disruption.
1.7 Each BCP must be approved by the business continuity owner and their deputy secretary.
1.8 In the event of the disruption affecting a number of critical business functions in multiple divisions and affecting the operations of the department as a whole, the Executive Director, Policy Coordination and Governance will mobilise the Business Continuity Response Team (BCRT) to activate the department-wide Business Continuity Activation Plan (BCAP). The BCRT, led by the appointed incident controller will prioritise and coordinate the department’s business continuity response and recovery efforts. The department-wide BCAP must be approved by the BCRT. The BCRT must activate (and deactivate) the department-wide BCAP in the event of a disruption that affects the operations of the department as a whole in accordance with the BCRT Charter.
1.9 When a BCP is activated, senior executives must ensure that the required people, information, facilities, assets and other infrastructure are available to ensure business continuity and recovery. Staff must re-prioritise their efforts to the delivery of critical business functions and services and the recovery of normal business operations. The business continuity owner must also advise Corporate Governance (Policy Coordination and Governance directorate) when their BCP is activated as this may inform the activation of the department-wide BCAP.
1.10 In the event that the incident endangers or threatens to endanger life, property or the environment, emergency management always takes priority over business continuity arrangements. BCPs are only activated once the health and safety of staff and bystanders have been assured.
1.11 In the event of an emergency, the department is required to implement its emergency management plans, as required by the department’s Emergency Management guidelines. Emergency management is handled by the department’s Health and Safety directorate.
1.12 In the event of an emergency affecting the operations of the department as a whole, the Emergency Planning and Response Committee will coordinate the department’s emergency response.
2.1 This policy applies to all business units with the department.
3.1 The Business Continuity Management Policy is an essential element of the department’s broader corporate governance, and Enterprise Risk Management framework.
3.2 This policy is supported by the Business Continuity Management guidelines, toolkit and templates to assist with business continuity planning.
3.3 This policy and guidelines reflect the international standard for business continuity management systems, ISO 22301:2012 and best practice.
3.4 The Enterprise Risk Management Group and the Audit and Risk Committee oversee implementation of this policy.
3.5 Staff also have responsibilities for identifying and managing risk under the department’s Enterprise Risk Management Policy, and responsibilities relating to health and safety, emergency response planning and incident notification under the department’s Work Health and Safety Policy and Incident Notification and Response Policy.
Secretary
Executive Group
Executive Director, Policy Coordination and Governance
Deputy Secretaries
Business continuity owners (Deputy Secretary, executive directors or directors) (BCO)
Business continuity coordinators (BCC)
Government schools
Staff
Corporate Governance Unit (Policy Coordination and Governance directorate)
Business Continuity Response Team (BCRT)
Incident controller
Enterprise Risk Management Group
Internal Audit
Audit and Risk Committee
5.1 The Executive Director, Policy Coordination and Governance is responsible for monitoring the implementation of this policy and reviewing it (at least) every three years.
6.1 Chief Risk Officer, Corporate Governance, Policy Coordination and Governance: (02) 7814 1326 risk@det.nsw.edu.au
This information is current as at 26/02/2021 12:38pm, AEDT. For the most up-to-date information, go to https://policies.education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/business-continuity-management-policy.
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2019. For more information go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/copyright.
This information is current as at 26/02/2021 12:31pm, AEDT. For the most up-to-date information, go to https://policies.education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policy-groups.
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2019. For more information go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/copyright.