How we implemented business continuity plan (BCP)

Until recently, you could solely focus on your business as an owner or strategic manager. Consecutive years of global pandemics and Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine have changed the way business managers strategize. 

Events as shocking as large-scale cyberattacks, pandemics, or wars are no longer considered implausible. On the other hand, such circumstances open the way for new strategies and business models. 

As a mature IT services provider operating in the field for years, at Geniusee, we timely composed a business continuity planning (BCP) initiative, and we will share it with you here. Let’s first start with learning what BCP is. 

In this article:

What is BCP?

BCP is the process in which a business entity formulates and implements a strategy for continuing regular operations in external threats such as cybercrimes, wars, or natural disasters. BCP reassures stakeholders regarding the company's long-term reliability and operational sustainability when uncertain external events challenge its functionality. 

When do we implement it?

BCP is not a typical business process. Instead, it is a contingency plan for the business in case of any threatening events.

Here’s how we approach BCP implementation at Geniusee.

• Flexible timing and support. As we are dealing with uncertain events, we keep the timing of our BCP implementation highly flexible. Our goal is to ensure safety and assistance for our employees in specific times of need.
• Business continuity. We have planned our initiatives with this goal in mind to keep Geniusee trouble-proof and fully operational. Being adaptive to your situation and surroundings holds the key to success. That's why the Geniusee team is constantly monitoring potential risks and working on a strategy for implementing action points in case of their occurrence.  This approach helped us withstand a full-scale invasion and quickly resume 100% of our work processes.

The Geniusee team devised its BCP action plan based on these two principles. 

Geniusee BCP in action

Geniusee promptly prepared and executed our BCP when Russian forces invaded Ukraine, our homeland and an independent state. Take a look below at our courses of action.

Our timely actions helped us keep interruptions to a minimum. Now the company is fully operational and continues to create projects with our clients.

Possible concerns we are ready to dissolve

Despite our prompt efforts, there are still uncertainties about the future of the war. Questions and concerns may still trouble our stakeholders and well-wishers. A few such concerns are below, and see how we would resolve them.

What if there's major trouble with electricity or other resources because of the war?

Geniusee extends its commitment beyond Ukraine, maintaining offices in Poland and the USA. Our policy ensures operational continuity, with secure technology infrastructure, flexible work arrangements, and adherence to local regulations.

Consequently, Geniusee supports remote work, offering flexibility and technology support for employees. That way, we’re able to provide necessary resources and uninterrupted workflow for our employees.

What if internet connectivity is cut off?

You will have your deliverables on schedule due to the following reasons:

• We continuously back up all of our project documentation. There is also an option to substitute any expert with the same level one if a person gets offline. A sizable part of our staff is now in Europe, where the situation is stable. 
• The Ukrainian part has access to multiple channels of internet connection. We can also use Starlinks if necessary. So you will have your deliverables on schedule.

Thus, let us reassure you with our contingency plan and preparation if things get worse. 

What If the team Is physically destroyed and the project stops?

• Geniusee’s management has taken every possible step to prevent this risk. We stay in touch with every employee daily and regularly update our relocation plan according to the current situation to prevent all risks.

• Our databases are located abroad.

• We ensure all necessary documentation, including data storage agreements and security protocols, is in place, outlining the terms and conditions of our international database usage. 

• We have established clear communication channels to swiftly disseminate safety protocols and emergency procedures to our team in case of any unforeseen events.

What if my dedicated team members get conscripted into the army?

Given that the IT sector is a crucial export industry in Ukraine, maintaining its functionality is vital for sustaining the economy. IT professionals are considered low-priority for conscription at the legal level. Additionally, with 30% of our team at Geniusee being comprised of women, we further reduce the potential risks associated with conscription. 

However, we actively monitor the situation to anticipate issues and know how to respond to them in a timely manner. 

If necessary, we'll cross-train others for key roles, document crucial knowledge, and engage temporary resources if needed. Clear communication, flexibility in project timelin

What if Geniusee loses all the data?

We adhere to ISO 27001 standards to safeguard client data. Our practices include the use of VPN and cloud-based infrastructure, ensuring that your data remains secure and resilient in the face of potential war-related or other unforeseen scenarios.

We keep our data on European cloud servers instead of any physical server to make it even safer. We strictly maintain access management and lost device management through ISO-standard.

Final words

Our BCP includes different plans for different possible events. However, implementation depends on the magnitude and type of the event. We are flexible to adapt to our external environment quickly while keeping everything operational. That’s how the safety of our Geniusee team and continuous company operations provide our business continuity.