[OR] [BOK] [8] [P2] [S3] Set Impact Tolerance

Capability and maturity are models against which an organisation’s operational resilience performance can be measured and improved.

These capability and maturity models describe the essential elements of effective operational resilience processes and work to be executed in the organisation. The rigour and quality of the process used to develop them highly influence the assurance of continuing business services.

This blog [OR-P2-S3] elaborates on the content for Stage 3 of the "IMPLEMENT" phase or P2 of the OR Planning Methodology.

Course Participants: This blog is a pre-reading for the Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course participants.

Certification Application: The "How To" section is designed to assist successful participants in completing their Certification Application Form or CAF.

Moh Heng Goh Aug 22, 2025

Element	Description
Purpose	To identify and prioritise the Critical Business Services (CBS) that, if disrupted, would cause intolerable harm to clients, stakeholders, or the wider financial/market system. This forms the foundation of the Implement Phase of Operational Resilience.
Objectives	Establish a clear definition and scope of CBS within the organisation. Assess services against potential impacts on customers, regulatory obligations, and systemic stability. Develop a prioritised list of CBS for further resilience planning (mapping, tolerances, testing). Create a structured, validated inventory of CBS for ongoing resilience management.
Inputs	Organisational strategy, mission, and risk appetite. Regulatory requirements (e.g., MAS, FCA, BNM). Business Impact Analysis (BIA) results Process maps, operating models, and service catalogues. Stakeholder knowledge (business leaders, SMEs, risk and compliance officers). Existing documentation of critical operations and dependencies.
Activities	Define CBS scope and criteria based on regulatory and business impact considerations. Conduct a Business Services Impact Analysis (BSIA) to determine customer, financial, reputational, and regulatory consequences of disruption. Identify dependencies: people, processes, technology, facilities, third parties. Engage stakeholders across departments to validate service criticality. Prioritise services using a structured assessment methodology. Document CBS in a centralised inventory (service description, dependencies, tolerances, obligations). Validate and periodically review CBS to ensure continued relevance.
Outputs	Approved Critical Business Services Register (inventory). Service prioritisation framework/matrix. Documented CBS criteria and rationale. Stakeholder-validated CBS list. Management sign-off for CBS scope.
Linkages	Upstream: Phase 1 (Plan) — governance structures, scoping, stakeholder engagement. Downstream: P2-S2: Mapping Processes & Resources — CBS dependencies are mapped. P2-S3: Setting Impact Tolerances — tolerances are established per CBS. P2-S4: Scenario Testing — CBS used as basis for testing severe but plausible disruptions. P2-S5: Lessons Learned & Improvements — CBS inventory updated from findings. Cross-reference: BCMBoK BIA stage for alignment with existing BCM practices.

"Implement" Phase of OR Planning Methodology

Identify Important Business Services	Map Processes and Resources	Set Impact Tolerance	Conduct Scenario Testing	Improve Lesson Learnt

Operational Resilience Body of Knowledge - Implement
BoK 6 S1	BoK 7 S2	BoK 8 S3	BoK 9 S4	BoK 10 S5

More Information About Operational Resilience OR-5000 [BL-OR-5] or OR-300 [BL-OR-3] Course

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-3 Blended Learning OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the OR-5 Blended Learning OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.



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