PECB ISO-22301-Lead-Auditor Exam Questions

The top management should demonstrate its commitment to the business continuity management system (BCMS) by conducting effective management reviews of the BCMS and ensuring that the business continuity management (BCM) objectives are aligned to the strategic goals of the business.These are two of the requirements of ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity management systems, under clause 5.1: Leadership and commitment1.

Management reviews are periodic evaluations of the BCMS by the top management to assess its suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness. Management reviews help to ensure that the BCMS is performing as intended and meeting the requirements and expectations of the interested parties. Management reviews also help to identify and address any issues, gaps, or opportunities for improvement in the BCMS. Management reviews should be conducted at planned intervals, based on the organization's needs and context. Management reviews should consider various inputs, such as the performance and results of the BCMS, the feedback and satisfaction of the interested parties, the internal and external audits, the corrective actions, the changes that may affect the BCMS, etc. Management reviews should also produce various outputs, such as the decisions and actions related to the improvement and effectiveness of the BCMS, the allocation of resources, the revision of policies and objectives, the communication of the results and outcomes, etc. Management reviews are an important way for the top management to demonstrate its commitment to the BCMS, as they show that the top management is actively involved in overseeing and supporting the BCMS.

BCM objectives are the specific and measurable outcomes that the organization intends to achieve with its BCMS. BCM objectives help to guide and direct the organization's BCM activities and processes, as well as to evaluate and improve the organization's BCM performance and capability. BCM objectives should be consistent with the organization's business continuity policy and aligned with the organization's strategic goals and vision. BCM objectives should also be relevant and meaningful to the organization's context and needs, as well as the requirements and expectations of the interested parties. BCM objectives should be established and maintained by the top management, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. BCM objectives should also be communicated and understood within the organization, as well as reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the changing circumstances and needs of the organization. Ensuring that the BCM objectives are aligned to the strategic goals of the business is an important way for the top management to demonstrate its commitment to the BCMS, as it shows that the top management is integrating BCM into the organization's overall strategy and direction.

ISO 22301:2019 - Security and resilience --- Business continuity management systems --- Requirements, Clause 5.1: Leadership and commitment1

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 2: Business Continuity Concepts and Principles, Section 2.6: Business Continuity Objectives2

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 5: Audit Process, Section 5.3: Audit Criteria3

According to ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 2.1.2, a business continuity champion is a person who represents the executive management perspective in setting up the expectation for business continuity management (BCM). The business continuity champion is responsible for ensuring that the BCM policy and objectives are aligned with the strategic direction of the organization, and that the necessary resources and support are provided for the implementation and maintenance of the business continuity management system (BCMS). The business continuity champion also acts as a liaison between the executive management and the business continuity manager, who is the person in charge of the operational aspects of the BCMS.Reference: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 2.1.2.

The team that is responsible for determining how the impact of the incident is managed within the policy guidelines set by the strategic team is thetactical team. The tactical team is composed of managers or experts who have the authority and competence to make decisions and allocate resources to implement the business continuity plans and strategies.The tactical team coordinates and communicates with the operational team, which is responsible for executing the recovery and restoration activities, and reports to the strategic team, which is responsible for setting the overall direction and objectives of the incident response1.

Business continuity programs should be a part of the governance process of the organization, which is the system by which the organization is directed and controlled. The governance process involves setting the strategic direction, establishing the policies and objectives, allocating the resources, monitoring the performance, and ensuring the accountability and transparency of the organization. Business continuity programs support the governance process by ensuring the continuity of the organization's critical functions and processes in the event of a disruptive incident, and by enhancing the organization's resilience and reputation.Reference: ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 1: Introduction to Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS), Section 1.1: Governance, page 8.

The scope of the business continuity management system (BCMS) is the statement that defines the boundaries and applicability of the BCMS. It specifies which products, services, processes, locations, and organizational units are covered by the BCMS, as well as any exclusions or limitations. The scope should document and explain any exclusions, which are the products, services, or processes that are not within the scope of the BCMS. Exclusions may be justified for various reasons, such as:

The products, services, or processes are not critical to the organization's operations and objectives.

The products, services, or processes are already covered by other management systems or plans.

The products, services, or processes are outside the organization's control or influence.

The products, services, or processes are not relevant or applicable to the organization's context or needs.

However, the exclusions should not affect the organization's ability to provide products and services that meet the requirements and expectations of its interested parties. The exclusions should also not compromise the conformity of the BCMS with the requirements of ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity management systems. The scope and the exclusions should be documented in a clear and concise manner, and communicated to all relevant stakeholders. The scope and the exclusions should also be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the changing circumstances and needs of the organization.Reference:

ISO 22301:2019 - Security and resilience --- Business continuity management systems --- Requirements, Clause 4.3: Determining the scope of the business continuity management system1

ISO 22301 Auditing eBook, Chapter 3: Business Continuity Integration, Section 3.1: Business Continuity Integration Levels2

ISO 22301 Clause 4.3 Determining the Scope of the Business Continuity Management System3