[BCM] [BT] [E4] [BIA] [P5] Inter-Dependencies for CBF-1 to CBF-8

Inter-Dependencies

CBF-1 to CBF-8

In today’s complex organisational environments, no critical business function operates in isolation. Each function relies on various inputs from other units, external vendors, regulatory bodies, and infrastructure providers.

These linkages form a network of inter-dependencies that must be clearly understood and managed to ensure operational resilience during disruptions.

This section explores the concept of inter-dependencies within and outside the organization, focusing on the internal and external relationships that support the continuity of critical business functions.

It emphasizes the identification of upstream, downstream, and mutual dependencies, as well as their implications for business continuity and crisis management planning.

Through structured documentation and mapping of these dependencies, organizations like Bandtree can enhance coordination, reduce vulnerabilities, and improve their overall readiness to respond to crises or operational disruptions.

CBF	Sub-CBF Code	Sub-CBF Name	Name of Business Unit or Vendor/ Supplier/ Outsource Partner	Type of Dependency - Internal	Type of Dependency - External	Type of Dependency - Upstream-Downstream	Description of the Nature of Dependency
CBF-1	1.1	Property and Facility Maintenance Management	Internal Maintenance Team, External FM Vendors	Yes	Yes	Mutual Dependency	Operations are mutually dependent; the internal team oversees maintenance while external vendors provide specialized services.
CBF-1	1.2	Asset Lifecycle and Condition Monitoring	Asset Management Unit, IoT/Monitoring System Vendors	Yes	Yes	Upstream Dependency	External sensors and systems provide data that feeds into internal decision-making.
CBF-1	1.3	Space Planning and Allocation	Corporate Planning, Tenants	Yes	Yes	Downstream Dependency	Decisions by this unit affect tenants and are guided by strategic input from corporate planning.
CBF-1	1.4	Vendor and Contractor Management	Procurement and Legal, Contractors	Yes	Yes	Mutual Dependency	Performance and contract obligations are mutually reliant.
CBF-1	1.5	HSSE Compliance	HSSE Unit, Regulatory Agencies	Yes	Yes	Mutual Dependency	Compliance requires input from both internal and external parties; non-compliance affects both.
CBF-1	1.6	Energy and Utilities Management	Utilities Providers	No	Yes	Upstream Dependency	Bandtree relies on these providers for essential services like electricity, water, and gas.
CBF-1	1.7	Emergency and Incident Response for Facilities	Emergency Response Team, Fire Dept and Police	Yes	Yes	Mutual Dependency	A coordinated response requires mutual information flow.
CBF-1	1.8	Capital Projects and Renovation Oversight	Project Management Team, Architects and Contractors	Yes	Yes	Mutual Dependency	Project progress and quality depend on this collaboration.
CBF-1	1.9	Tenant and Stakeholder Relationship Management	Tenant Relations Unit, Tenants and Government Stakeholders	Yes	Yes	Downstream Dependency	Business decisions impact tenants, and feedback informs future improvements.
CBF-1	1.10	Regulatory and Compliance Reporting	Compliance Unit, Ministries and Regulators	Yes	Yes	Upstream Dependency	External guidelines dictate reporting, and internal units prepare submissions accordingly.
CBF-2	2.1	Facility Maintenance & Engineering	HVAC Contractor	No	Yes	Upstream	Supplies routine maintenance reports and schedules.
CBF-2	2.2	Building Security & Surveillance	Security Operations Unit, External Security Vendor	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Internal unit shares incident logs, and the external vendor runs patrols.
CBF-2	2.3	Utilities Management	Utilities Supervisor, Power & Water Suppliers	Yes	Yes	Upstream / Downstream	Upstream internal dependency with the Utilities Supervisor for consumption data and a downstream external dependency with Power & Water Suppliers, who send invoices and outage alerts.
CBF-2	2.4	Emergency Response & Incident	Crisis Response Team, Local Fire & Ambulance Services	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Mutual internal dependency with the Crisis Response Team for incident alerts and a mutual external dependency with Local Fire & Ambulance Services for coordination.
CBF-2	2.5	Vendor & Contractor Coordination	Procurement & Vendor Management, External Contractors	Yes	Yes	Upstream / Downstream	Upstream internal dependency with Procurement & Vendor Management and a downstream external dependency with External Contractors who supply invoices and reports.
CBF-2	2.6	Asset Condition Monitoring & Lifecycle Management	Asset Management Team, Condition Monitoring Vendor	Yes	Yes	Mutual / Upstream	Mutual internal dependency with the Asset Management Team and an upstream external dependency with a Condition Monitoring Vendor.
CBF-2	2.7	Renovation & Upgrading Projects	Project Management Office, External Contractors	Yes	Yes	Mutual / Downstream	Mutual internal dependency with the Project Management Office and a downstream external dependency with External Contractors.
CBF-2	2.8	Space Management & Occupancy Planning	Real Estate & Space Planning Unit, External Space Consultants	Yes	Yes	Upstream	Upstream internal dependency with the Real Estate & Space Planning Unit and an upstream external dependency with External Space Consultants.
CBF-2	2.9	Compliance & Regulatory Management	Compliance Office, Regulatory Authorities	Yes	Yes	Upstream	Upstream internal dependency with the Compliance Office and an upstream external dependency with Regulatory Authorities.
CBF-2	2.10	Sustainability & Environmental Management	Sustainability Team, Environmental Consultancy	Yes	Yes	Mutual / Upstream	Mutual internal dependency with the Sustainability Team and an upstream external dependency with an Environmental Consultancy.
CBF-3	3.1	Client Relationship Management	Client Services Unit	✅		Mutual Dependency	Continuous engagement and a feedback loop are essential for tailoring property solutions to meet client expectations.
CBF-3	3.2	Stakeholder Engagement & Gov’t Liaison	Strategic Communications Unit, Ministry of Development	✅	✅	Mutual Dependency	Requires information from internal units and active coordination with government regulators to ensure compliance and support.
CBF-3	3.3	Service Provider & Contractor Mgmt	Operations Unit, Approved Contractors and Facility Vendors	✅	✅	Downstream	Execution of services (e.g., maintenance, repairs) relies on timely contractor performance based on internal instructions.
CBF-3	3.4	Public and Community Engagement	Corporate Communications Unit, Community Groups / NGOs	✅	✅	Mutual Dependency	Public perception and goodwill rely on ongoing initiatives and open communication between Bandtree and community entities.
CBF-3	3.5	Internal Stakeholder Communication	All Internal Departments, Board of Directors	✅		Upstream	Accurate and timely information from departments is needed to formulate consistent internal messaging and strategic updates.
CBF-3	3.6	Client and Stakeholder Records Mgmt	Records & IT Department, Cloud Service Provider (if applicable)	✅	✅	Mutual Dependency	Internal access and external system availability are crucial to maintain, retrieve, and protect stakeholder records.
CBF-4	4.1	Customer Billing & Invoicing	Commercial Department, IT Support Unit	Yes	No	Upstream / Mutual	Upstream dependency on the Commercial Department for customer data and a mutual dependency with the IT Support Unit.
CBF-4	4.2	Payment Collection & Reconciliation	Sales Team, Banks & Financial Institutions	Yes	Yes	Upstream / Downstream	Relies on sales data for invoicing and on banks for transaction records.
CBF-4	4.3	Accounts Payable (AP) Processing	Procurement Department, Vendors/Suppliers	Yes	Yes	Upstream	Depends on procurement-approved invoices from vendors.
CBF-4	4.4	Financial Reporting & Budgeting	All Business Units, Senior Management	Yes	No	Upstream	Relies on data from all departments for accurate financial reports and budget allocation.
CBF-4	4.5	Vendor Onboarding & Contract Management	Legal Department, Prospective Vendors	Yes	Yes	Upstream	Depends on the Legal Department for contract review and external vendors for documentation.
CBF-4	4.6	Regulatory & Compliance Management	Compliance Unit, Tax Authorities	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Ensures compliance with external tax authorities and internal compliance units.
CBF-4	4.7	Insurance & Risk Financing Administration	Risk Management Team, Insurance Providers	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Requires data from risk management and coordination with external insurance providers.
CBF-5	5.1	Regulatory & Legal Compliance	Legal & Compliance Department	✔️	✔️	Up-stream	Relies on updates and mandates from regulators; provides guidance downstream to operations.
CBF-5	5.2	Internal Audit & Risk Oversight	Internal Audit & Risk Management Unit	✔️	X	Mutual	Provides oversight and receives reports from departments; ensures enterprise-wide compliance.
CBF-5	5.3	Corporate Governance Monitoring	Board Secretariat	✔️	✔️	Up-stream	Aligns business activities with board directives and best practices in governance.
CBF-5	5.4	ESG Reporting	Strategy & Sustainability Unit	✔️	✔️	Down-stream	Consolidates data and reports from departments for ESG disclosures.
CBF-5	5.5	Business Continuity Governance	Business Continuity Management Team	✔️	✔️	Mutual	Coordinates with departments to implement BCM policies and provides BCM governance and reporting.
CBF-5	5.6	Strategic & Statutory Reporting	Finance, Strategy & Corporate Planning Units	✔️	✔️	Down-stream	Receives data from business units for analysis and reporting to stakeholders.
CBF-6	6.1	IT Infrastructure & Network Management	ICT Department, External Managed Services Provider	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Relies on internal and external support for network uptime and security.
CBF-6	6.2	Data Management & Analytics	All Business Units, Data Analytics Vendor	Yes	Yes	Upstream	Depends on accurate data input from all units and external analytics services.
CBF-6	6.3	Application Development & Support	Business Units, Software Vendors	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Requires feedback from business units to develop and maintain applications.
CBF-6	6.4	Cybersecurity & Information Security	IT Security Unit, Managed Security Services Provider	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Relies on internal teams and external providers for threat detection and prevention.
CBF-6	6.5	Document & Records Management	All Business Units, Records Management System Vendor	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Requires all units to adhere to records management policies and depends on external systems for storage.
CBF-6	6.6	IT Procurement & Vendor Management	Procurement Unit, IT Hardware/Software Vendors	Yes	Yes	Upstream / Downstream	Upstream dependency on Procurement for vendor selection and downstream dependency on vendors for product delivery.
CBF-6	6.7	IT Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity	Business Continuity Team, Disaster Recovery Site Vendor	Yes	Yes	Mutual	Works with internal team to develop plans and depends on external vendor for disaster recovery site.
CBF-7	7.1	Staff Recruitment & Onboarding	Internal HR Unit, Departmental Heads, Job Portals (e.g., JobCentre)	✔	✔	Upstream	Depends on department heads to provide manpower requirements; uses external job portals to attract talent.
CBF-7	7.2	Employee Records Management	HR Unit, ICT Department	✔		Mutual	HR maintains records with internal ICT support for database and file storage integrity.
CBF-7	7.3	Payroll Processing & Disbursement	Finance Department, Payroll Software Vendor, Local Banks	✔	✔	Mutual	HR inputs data; Finance processes and approves; banks execute disbursements.
CBF-7	7.4	Employee Benefits & Welfare Admin	Insurance Providers, HR Unit	✔	✔	Mutual	Coordination required with insurers and internal HR to manage claims and benefits processing.
CBF-7	7.5	Performance Management & Appraisals	All Departments, Management Team	✔		Upstream	Dependent on input from all departments and management for performance ratings and review outcomes.
CBF-7	7.6	Training & Development	Training Providers, HR Unit, Departmental Trainers	✔	✔	Downstream	Training is executed after identification of needs; reliant on providers and internal trainers.
CBF-7	7.7	HR Policy Development & Compliance	Legal Unit, Senior Management, Regulatory Bodies	✔	✔	Upstream	Policy formulation must comply with regulatory requirements and internal legal validation.
CBF-7	7.8	Industrial Relations & Employee Grievances	Legal Unit, Labour Department, Internal HR	✔	✔	Mutual	Dependency on legal advice and government agencies for dispute resolution and compliance.
CBF-8	8.1	Vendor Selection & Prequalification	Human Resources Department	Yes	No	Upstream	Has an upstream internal dependency on the Human Resources Department for vetting and background screening.
CBF-8	8.2	Contract Management	Legal Department	Yes	No	Upstream	Relies upstream on the Legal Department for contract review, drafting, and approval.
CBF-8	8.3	Purchase Requisition & Approval	Finance Department	Yes	No	Mutual	Has a mutual internal dependency with the Finance Department for budget control and approval of purchase limits.
CBF-8	8.4	Supplier Relationship Management	Key Strategic Suppliers	No	Yes	Mutual	Has a mutual external dependency with Key Strategic Suppliers for collaboration on quality and delivery timelines.
CBF-8	8.5	Inventory & Logistics Coordination	Warehouse & Facilities Unit	Yes	No	Downstream	Has a downstream internal dependency on the Warehouse & Facilities Unit for supplies delivery.
CBF-8	8.6	Compliance & Procurement Governance	Risk & Compliance Department	Yes	No	Upstream	Has an upstream internal dependency on the Risk & Compliance Department for adherence to regulations and policies.
CBF-8	8.7	Risk Management in Supply Chain	Business Continuity & Risk Management	Yes	No	Mutual	Has a mutual internal dependency with Business Continuity & Risk Management for identifying and mitigating risks.
CBF-8	8.8	Emergency Procurement	Emergency Response Vendors	No	Yes	Downstream	Has a downstream external dependency on Emergency Response Vendors for rapid sourcing during disruptions.
CBF-8	8.9	Procurement System & Data Management	ICT Department, ERP Software Vendor	Yes	Yes	Upstream / Mutual	Has an upstream mutual dependency on the ICT Department (internal) and ERP Software Vendor (external) for system maintenance and technical support.

Summing Up ...

Understanding and documenting inter-dependencies is not merely an administrative task—it is a strategic imperative for resilient operations.

By clearly identifying the internal and external entities that a critical business function depends on—or which depend on it—organisations can proactively manage risks, establish contingency measures, and streamline recovery efforts.

This section outlines how interdependencies should be categorised, analysed, and maintained as part of the broader business continuity and crisis management framework.

By integrating these insights into continuity planning, organizations can reduce the cascading impacts of disruptions and foster stronger collaboration across all supporting functions and partners.

More Information About Business Continuity Management Courses

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the BCM-300 Business Continuity Management Implementer [BCM-3] and the BCM-5000 Business Continuity Management Expert Implementer [BCM-5].