About Business Continuity and Auditing Using ISO22301
This course gives professionals the practical skills to both build and audit a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) using ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity. It covers everything from the core principles of business continuity through to hands-on audit planning, execution, and reporting.
You'll start with the fundamentals of business continuity management and how a BCMS relates to broader risk management requirements, then move into the specific requirements of ISO 22301 and how it connects with related standards. From there, the course covers audit planning approaches and the role of the internal auditor, followed by hands-on auditing practice including questioning techniques and non-conformity reporting, and finishing with practical guidance on prioritisation and avoiding common pitfalls.
By the end, you'll be able to support the implementation of a BCMS and confidently plan, execute, and report on ISO 22301 audits.
Expected Outcomes
The course is structured around five stages — from business continuity fundamentals through to practical audit application — so each skill builds toward real organisational resilience. By the end, you'll be able to:
- Appreciate the importance of business continuity and understand associated risks
- Understand ISO 22301 requirements and how they integrate with other standards
- Support the design and implementation of an effective BCMS
- Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessment
- Develop and execute audit plans aligned with ISO 22301
- Apply questioning techniques and report non-conformities during an audit
- Embed business continuity principles across all levels of an organisation
Training Method
The course begins with the core principles of business continuity management and how a BCMS fits within wider risk management requirements. It then moves into the specific requirements of ISO 22301, including its relationship to other standards, and how to conduct a Business Impact Analysis and risk assessment.
From there, you'll cover audit planning approaches, including the role of the internal auditor and use of checklists, before moving into hands-on auditing practice with questioning techniques, non-conformity reporting, and role play exercises. The course closes with practical guidance on prioritisation, avoiding common issues, and next steps for implementation. Throughout, you'll work through plenary sessions, group exercises, case studies, and audit simulations based on real organisational scenarios, so you leave ready to apply ISO 22301 directly in your workplace.
