[BCM] [IsDB] [E1] [C3] Establishing Organisational Goals

Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a fundamental component of organisational resilience.

Within the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), establishing clear, strategic BCM goals is essential to ensure uninterrupted delivery of its mandate—fostering economic development and social progress across its Member Countries.

This chapter outlines how IsDB can identify and define BCM goals that both meet the requirements of ISO 22301 and align with relevant national BCM policies, particularly within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its regulatory environment.

Context: ISO 22301 and National Policy Alignment

ISO 22301:2019 specifies requirements for implementing a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS).

The standard directs organisations to establish BCM objectives that align with the organisation’s strategic direction and account for internal and external factors, including regulatory expectations and stakeholder needs.

A critical first step under ISO 22301 is that an organisation must define BCM goals that support continuity, resilience, stakeholder confidence, and ongoing compliance.

For organisations operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including foreign entities like IsDB with local operations or interactions with Saudi regulators, there are additional policy layers that influence BCM goals.

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) BCM Framework emphasises that an organisation’s business continuity strategy must align with its strategic business objectives and embed BCM as a core component of good management practices.

The framework also requires formal documentation of BCM policies, objectives, scope, responsibilities, and a roadmap for implementation and review.

In addition, broader government guidelines for BCM within Saudi government agencies support the continuity of critical services, reduce the impact of disruptions, and align with national resilience objectives.

For IsDB, these standards and policies should be translated into organisational goals that not only meet ISO 22301 requirements but also align with local regulatory expectations and best practices.

Principles for Setting BCM Goals at IsDB

BCM goals should reflect the Bank’s strategic vision, mission, and risk appetite. These goals must also be:

• Aligned with organisational strategy: BCM goals should support IsDB's core operational and developmental objectives, including safeguarding critical services, data, and stakeholders.
• Compliant with ISO 22301 requirements: Goals should meet the standard’s criteria for measurable objectives that contribute to the effectiveness of the BCMS.
• Responsive to regulatory expectations: Where applicable, goals must reflect compliance with local BCM policies such as those articulated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including SAMA’s BCM governance and strategy requirements.
• Measurable and time-bound: Objectives should be clearly stated, measurable, and set within defined timelines to allow for monitoring and continuous improvement.

Proposed BCM Goals for IsDB

Below are examples of organisational BCM goals tailored to IsDB’s context, with alignment to ISO 22301 and relevant Saudi BCM requirements:

BCM Integration and Leadership Commitment

To fully integrate BCM into corporate governance structures, ensuring that senior leadership clearly endorses BCM principles across all organisational levels.

This includes formalising roles and responsibilities for BCM governance and embedding these within operational planning.

Rationale: This goal ensures strategic alignment and leadership support, both core requirements of ISO 22301 and a key emphasis in SAMA’s BCM governance guidance.

BCM Policy and Framework Development

To establish and maintain a documented BCM policy that defines scope, objectives, responsibilities, and accountability across the organisation. This includes periodic review and communication to stakeholders.

Rationale: A clear, communicated BCM policy supports organisational awareness and compliance with both ISO 22301 and local BCM policy expectations.

Continuity of Critical Operations

To ensure that critical processes and services can continue at predefined acceptable levels during and after disruptive events, as identified through Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessments.

Rationale: ISO 22301 requires organisations to assess contextual risks and impacts to inform recovery strategies; meeting this goal strengthens the resilience of services most vital to IsDB’s mission.

Regulatory Compliance and Stakeholder Confidence

To maintain compliance with applicable BCM regulatory requirements, including local guidelines within host jurisdictions (such as Saudi regulatory expectations), and enhance confidence among stakeholders, partners, and Member Countries.

Rationale: Compliance demonstrates operational discipline and trustworthiness, which is essential for IsDB’s reputation and operational continuity.

Training and Awareness Enhancement

To implement an ongoing BCM training and awareness program aimed at developing staff competencies and operational readiness for managing disruptions.

Rationale: Staff preparedness is critical for effective response and recovery; this goal aligns with ISO 22301 requirements for awareness and competency development.

Continuous Improvement of the BCMS

To periodically evaluate and improve the BCMS based on performance metrics, testing outcomes, audit results, and changes in organisational or regulatory context.

Rationale: ISO 22301 emphasises the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, requiring continual improvement to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of BCM activities.

Developing a BCM Goals Roadmap

Once organisational goals are identified, IsDB should create a BCM goals roadmap that outlines:

• Priority ranking of each goal.
• Target milestones with dates and responsible owners.
• Performance indicators to monitor progress.
• Review and update cycles to ensure ongoing alignment with organisational strategy and external requirements.

This roadmap will help to structure the implementation and allow the organisation to track progress against its continuity objectives in a systematic, measurable way.

Identifying organisational goals for business continuity is a strategic endeavour that bridges IsDB’s operational resilience aspirations with international standards and local regulatory expectations.

By rooting BCM goals in ISO 22301 principles and aligning with national BCM frameworks such as those in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, IsDB can strengthen its capacity to anticipate, respond to, and recover from disruptions—thereby safeguarding its mandate, stakeholders, and long-term mission.

Building Resilience: A Guide to Business Continuity Management at IsDB
eBook 1: Understanding Your Organisation: Islamic Development Bank
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