Business Continuity Planning and Pandemic Influenza in Europe

This summary research report, published by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), reports gaps across Europe in the level of advice given to ensure business continuity in independent organisations and institutions operating outside the health sector. The concern over the economic impact and disruption to business of a flu pandemic is the basis for this survey of independent advisory organisations and the 27 European Union (EU) member states, plus Turkey, Norway, and Switzerland, on pandemic preparation of the business sector. The research team developed an analytical framework on nine areas of preparedness to describe the scope of advice given to the non-health sector.

Researchers identified some of the following gaps in advice on pandemic preparedness:

• Management of employees suspected to be ill at work
• Recommendations on advance purchase, storage, and distribution of antiviral medication
• Coherence of plans with national and international pandemic temporal phases
  
• External as well as internal communication guidelines
  
• Acquisition and distribution of protection equipment; advice on social distancing in the workplace
  
• Mechanisms for sharing best practices across governments and industries
  
• Legal issues arising under the circumstances of an influenza pandemic
• The development of business recovery plans.

The report further charts gaps requiring attention in the areas of leadership and commitment; risk identification and impact quantification; information, education, and communication; occupational health and safety; human resource issues; operational continuity; activation of planning; recovery planning; and collaboration and coordination.