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 Evaluation is the process of assessing the performance of an organization, a system, a process, or an activity against a set of criteria, standards, or objectives. Evaluation can be used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as to measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of the organization’s activities. Evaluation can also be used to compare the performance of different organizations, systems, processes, or activities, and to identify and share best practices and lessons learned. Evaluation is one of the key elements of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, which is the basis of the ISO 22301 standard for business continuity management systems (BCMS). Evaluation is related to performance evaluation, audit, and benchmarking study, as these are some of the methods or tools that can be used to conduct evaluation. References: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 2: Introduction to Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS), Section 2.3: The PDCA Cycle, Page 17; ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 5: Audit Principles, Section 5.1: Introduction, Page 65; ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 6: Audit Program, Section 6.3: Audit Program Objectives, Page 75; ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 7: Audit Activities, Section 7.1: Introduction, Page 85; ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 8: Audit Competence and Evaluation of Auditors, Section 8.1: Introduction, Page 105.

The step that collates and validates all resource requirements of the selected continuity solutions is the compile step. This step involves gathering all the information about the resources needed to implement and operate the continuity solutions, such as human resources, equipment, facilities, materials, suppliers, partners, etc. The compile step also involves verifying that the resource requirements are realistic, feasible, and consistent with the organization’s objectives, policies, and budget1.

References: 1: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 6: Business Continuity Strategy, Section 6.2: Continuity Solutions, Subsection 6.2.4: Compile, Page 88.

The Check step in the PDCA cycle is the stage where the results are analyzed. It involves monitoring and evaluating the actions taken in the Do step. It is used to determine the effectiveness of the plan and to avoid recurring mistakes. The Check step identifies and assesses issues in the management process, such as gaps, nonconformities, risks, and opportunities. The Check step also involves collecting and analyzing data and information related to the performance and effectiveness of the BCMS. This can be done through various methods, such as audits, reviews, tests, exercises, surveys, and feedback. The Check step provides valuable input for the Act step, where corrective and preventive actions are taken to address the issues and improve the BCMS. References: : ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, page 11 : ISO 22301:2019, clause 9.1 : The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle: A Guide to Continuous Improvement : Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle - BCMpedia

Stakeholders are individuals or groups that have an interest in the organization’s performance. According to the ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, "Stakeholders are persons or organizations that can affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by a decision or activity of the organization. Stakeholders can be internal or external to the organization. Examples of internal stakeholders are employees, managers, owners, and board members. Examples of external stakeholders are customers, suppliers, regulators, investors, competitors, media, and the public."1 Stakeholders have different needs and expectations regarding the organization’s business continuity management system (BCMS) and its ability to respond to and recover from disruptive incidents. Therefore, the organization needs to identify its relevant stakeholders and understand their requirements and expectations, as well as communicate with them effectively and appropriately. This is one of the requirements of ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity management systems. ISO 22301 requires the organization to determine the interested parties that are relevant to its BCMS and the requirements of these interested parties2. Interested parties are a subset of stakeholders that have a direct or indirect influence on the BCMS or a stake in its outcome3. The organization also needs to monitor and review the information about these interested parties and their requirements, as they may change over time2. References:

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 2: Business Continuity Concepts and Principles, Section 2.1: Stakeholders1

ISO 22301:2019 - Security and resilience — Business continuity management systems — Requirements, Clause 4.2: Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties2

Interested parties in ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 | Who are they?3

 Deliverables are the specific tasks, products, or outcomes that are required in order to complete the project. They are the tangible and measurable results of the project activities, and they should be aligned with the project objectives and scope. Deliverables can be classified into two types: project deliverables and process deliverables. Project deliverables are the outputs that directly contribute to the achievement of the project goals, such as reports, plans, documents, software, hardware, etc. Process deliverables are the outputs that support the management and execution of the project, such as schedules, budgets, risk assessments, audits, etc. Deliverables should be clearly defined, agreed upon, and accepted by the project stakeholders, and they should be monitored and controlled throughout the project lifecycle. According to ISO 22301, some of the deliverables for implementing a business continuity management system (BCMS) are: business continuity policy, business continuity objectives, business impact analysis, risk assessment and treatment, business continuity strategy, business continuity plans, business continuity procedures, performance indicators, audit reports, corrective actions, etc. References: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 3: Planning the BCMS, Section 3.1: Project Management, page 39. ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 3: Planning the BCMS, Section 3.2: Project Deliverables, page 40.

 All outsourced functions or processes that are part of the organization’s delivery system should be included in the scoping analysis, as they can have a significantimpact on the organization’s ability to deliver its products or services in the event of a disruption. The organization should also consider the dependencies and interdependencies between its internal and external functions or processes, and the potential consequences of their failure or disruption. The organization should define the scope of its business continuity management system (BCMS) based on the results of the scoping analysis and document it in the BCMS policy. References: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, page 29; ISO 22301:2019 standard, clause 4.3

 One of the purposes of the business impact analysis (BIA) is to determine the minimal acceptable outage (MAO) for each critical function or process of the organization. The MAO is the maximum amount of time that a function or process can be disrupted before it causes unacceptable consequences for the organization. The MAO is used to define the recovery time objective (RTO) and the recovery point objective (RPO) for each function or process. The RTO is the time within which a function or process must be restored after a disruption, and the RPO is the point in time to which the data and information must be recovered. The BIA helps the organization to prioritize its recovery efforts and allocate the necessary resources for business continuity. References: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, page 38; ISO 22301:2019 standard, clause 8.2.2

 The evaluation process that enables senior executives to manage decisions on building resilience in the development programme is the new product/service assessment. This process involves evaluating the potential impact of new products or services on the organization’s business continuity objectives, risks, and capabilities. The new product/service assessment helps senior executives to identify and prioritize the business continuity requirements and resources needed for the successful launch and delivery of new products or services. The new product/service assessment also helps senior executives to monitor and review the performance and effectiveness of the new products or services in relation to the business continuity objectives and expectations. References:

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, page 67

ISO 22301:2019, clause 8.3

 A risk assessment is a review that uncovers the vulnerability and exposure of the organizational activities to specific types or risk. A risk assessment helps to identify, analyze, and evaluate the potential threats and impacts that could affect the organization’s ability to achieve its objectives and maintain its continuity. A risk assessment also helps to determine the appropriate risk treatment options and controls to reduce the likelihood and/or consequences of the risks. A risk assessment is an essential part of the business continuity management system (BCMS) as it enables the organization to prioritize its business continuity requirements and resources based on the level of risk. References:

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, page 25

ISO 22301:2019, clause 6.1.2

Regulatory compliance is the adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines and specifications relevant to an organization’s business processes. It has always been a challenge to organizations since it has a significant influence on corporate planning, such as strategic objectives, policies, procedures, risk management, performance measurement and improvement. Regulatory compliance can also affect the organization’s reputation, customer satisfaction, stakeholder confidence and legal liability. Therefore, organizations need to establish, implement, maintain and improve a business continuity management system (BCMS) that meets the requirements of ISO 22301 and other applicable regulations. References: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 1: Introduction to Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS), Section 1.2: Regulatory Compliance, page 9.