The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is enhancing its efforts to bolster business resilience within Sri Lanka’s private sector. This week, the Chamber concluded its latest workshop focused on Business Continuity Management (BCM), part of an ongoing initiative. This initiative aligns with the National Disaster Management Plan for 2023–2030, which designates the Ceylon Chamber as a primary entity responsible for guiding private businesses in the formulation and deployment of Business Continuity Plans aimed at disaster recovery and sustainability.
The two-day workshop, organized by the Chamber’s Centre for SMEs, provided participants with essential insights into Business Continuity Management, organizational resilience, and disaster preparedness. The emphasis was on sustaining vital operations and enabling recovery in the event of disruptions.
The national plan underscores the importance of maintaining the functionality of private-sector manufacturing, production, services, and employment during disasters as a crucial component of national preparedness. It specifically encourages businesses to formulate contingency plans that are in harmony with broader disaster management frameworks.
This perspective elevates the importance of business continuity beyond the confines of individual enterprises. A disruption in one company can have a ripple effect, impacting employees, suppliers, customers, and other businesses within the supply chain. Therefore, preparedness is vital for sustaining economic activities during disasters or significant interruptions.
The workshop utilized an ISO 22301:2019-aligned BCM curriculum developed as part of the World Food Programme’s Disaster and Climate Resilience Project. It was led by Mr. Bandula Wickramarachchi, an ISO-certified BCM trainer with expertise in Business Continuity Management and organizational resilience.
The Chamber, through its Centre for SMEs, will continue to offer BCM workshops and capacity-building initiatives for both large corporations and small to medium enterprises (SMEs). These programs are crafted to assist businesses in identifying critical operations, evaluating potential disruptions, and establishing effective responses for recovery.
For more details regarding forthcoming workshops, please reach out to 0115588871 or email manori@chamber.lk.
