There’s a Business Case for Business Continuity

5…4…3…2…1…no, that’s not the countdown from Mission Control, but it very well could be. Companies today face an unprecedented number of potential exposures and they must be armed and ready for the punch.

Having a Business Continuity plan in place, especially if you are a B2B provider (like we are), to help mitigate those risks is more than smart business; it’s the right thing to do to promote corporate resilience in the face of potential disruptions to the business,

A business continuity plan should include executive succession planning, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery. This will ensure your company has critical back up and resiliency in the hours, and days, after a threat.

Here we offer up a few reminders as to why a plan should be part of your business’ master plan:

1. It’s about the business – Businesses should look beyond its service portfolio and communicate the plan to clients. Chief among these is having the right technology and security systems in place to protect both physical and intellectual property
2. It’s about planning and practice – A plan is only helpful if it works. We’ve got ours on repeat, especially now that hurricane season has started. A pre-defined business continuity plan maximizes the chance of a successful recovery by eliminating hasty decision-making under stressful conditions.
3. It’s knowing who’s on first – and knowing what’s on second (noooo, it’s not the Abbott + Costello shtick; there’s nothing funny about business continuity). Having clearly defined roles help bring a daunting task down to size.
4. It’s about reflecting your company's culture – Clients demand uninterrupted access to critical data. Having safeguards in place, and testing them each year to make sure they are effective and flexible, is the cost of doing business in today’s on-demand marketplace.
5. It’s more than technology – Along with having data colocation, businesses should consider having other details in their continuity plan for facilities, equipment and inventory.

So that’s it in a nutshell. Dare we suggest that if you keep these tips in mind when planning your plan, you’ll be business-continuity-game-strong when the need arises…and we sure hope it doesn’t.

#PCIOIpowerhouse

You Need GREEN

Nah, not that kind of green. While that one can help improve your bottom line, the bottom line is THIS GREEN will make right by you, your business and our community – and who doesn’t love Mother Earth?

Truth is when employees feel connected to a purpose beyond profit, they can improve the company culture, as well as the bottom line. According to a National Environmental Education Foundation study, companies that approach employee engagement by creating a culture of sustainability saw gains in talent attraction, employee productivity, community recognition and brand strength.

And while we are no change makers, we do like to lead by example and help our clients make the right choices when it comes to eco-friendly and sustainable papers. As the first company of its kind to be triple certified in South Florida, we are proud to offer FSC, SFI and PEFC papers and to support industry-leading sustainability efforts. As a family of brands, we leverage energy-efficient equipment and forward-thinking technology that save on printing inks and processing chemicals. Our robust recycling program covers items from toner cartridges to printing plates to, of course, paper. We use non-toxic chemicals, vegetable-based inks and paper that is sourced from well-managed forests and processed in mills that adhere to strict environmental standards.

And while we celebrate Earth Day every day, we have marked the day each year by gifting our employees seeded cards, orchids, lucky bamboos and the like. This year we made our mark in green by planting two trees with a special plaque to commemorate the day.  We also produced a brochure entitled “Rethinking How We Work: Eco-minded Solutions for Today’s Business” that was featured as an insert in The Miami Herald.  It’s also a direct link to the Green section of our website, so check it out.

So remember, while making green is important, being green can mean the future of your business.