City centre in the snow

The business of survival

Companies in Liverpool are being advised to prepare for emergencies – or risk going out of business.

The warning comes as winter sets in with the increase risk of disruption caused by severe weather.

“Emergencies can strike at any time and come in many forms – fires, power cuts, flu epidemics or industrial disputes- but there is no doubt that winter weather can pose a real risk to business, ” said Councillor Gary Millar, chair of Resilient Liverpool, the city’s business continuity forum.

“Floods, snow and ice can play havoc with business and it is not being alarmist to say that they can threaten the survival of some businesses – especially SMEs.

“We have seen the devastation severe weather can cause, whether it is through something cataclysmic like Hurricane Sandy or closer to home, the recent floods which don’t only destroy people’s homes but cost businesses millions.

“While, in Liverpool, we may have avoided the worst of recent bad weather we cannot guarantee that this will always be the case. We are also at the time of the year when there are more power cuts.

“So it is vital that firms of all sizes minimise the risk of disruption by planning for emergencies.

“As a businessman myself I recognise the importance of having a business continuity plan and applying it during emergencies.

“We want Liverpool to be a resilient city, which has an infrastructure that can cope with all situations and where we have developed networks that keep the city working when emergencies happen and where business are well prepared for all eventualities.”

Information about business continuity is available at bcm@liverpool.gov.uk

• The Cabinet Office, in partnership with the Business Continuity Institute and Emergency Planning Society has produced ‘Business Continuity for Dummies’, an essential ‘survival’ guide for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To order a copy contact Scott Smith at scsmith@wiley.com

 

Liverpool Waterfront