Abdullatif Ali Al Yafei (centre), Chairperson of Qatar Business Continuity Forum; Ahmed Abdulla Al Suwaidi (right) , Acting Operations Director at QPMC; and Sarah Abdullah, Deputy General Manager, Qatari Businessmen Association at the press conference hel
The ‘Business Continuity and Risk Management’ provisions in companies and government entities, especially organisations of strategic importance, should be given more emphasis to deal with disruptive and emergency situations, noted an industry expert.
Business Continuity in an organisations means working to decrease the likelihood of a disruptive incidence and continuing the delivery of essential products and services in case of a disruption caused by any incidence, including natural disasters.
It is known by many names such as Organisational Resilience, Business Recovery, Disaster Recovery, Emergency Resonse, Continuity Planning and Preparedness among others.
Abdullatif Ali Al Yafei, Chairperson of Qatar Business Continuity Forum, which is organising Qatar’s first conference on “Business Continuity…Stability and Achievements” on December 3 at Four Seasons Hotel-Doha, said: “Although most strategic organisations in Qatar have business continuity and risk management system in place, that’s why we have not seen any major impact. But given the growing challenges facing the world, more emphasis need to be given.”
“Business Continuity has also become part of the sustainability programme for strategic organisations and many companies, but to achieve sustainable development in the country as a whole, more need to be done,”, Al Yafei told The Peninsula on the sidelines of a joint press conference, yesterday.
He also noted that be it’s a government, semi-government or private organisation, every entity that provide strategic goods and services must have ‘Business Continuity’ plans. This will give assurance to management, a company and enhance the sustainability of the State as a whole.
The one-day conference, being held under the patronage of the Minister of Energy and Industry, H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, has got the support of several key organisations and companies, including Qatari Businessmen Association, Qatar Chamber, Qatar Development Bank, Qatar Primary Material Company (QPMC), Vodafone Qatar, QIMC and many others.
During the conference industry experts from around the world will discuss the importance and benefits of Business Continuity planning and preparedness, new challenges and ideas on the subject, including some success stories.
Also present at the press conference were Sarah Abdullah, Deputy GM at QBA and Ahmed Abdulla Al Suwaidi, Acting Operations Director at QPMC and representatives from other sponsors.
For his part , Al Suwaidi, said that QPMC, through its application of the latest business continuity systems, aims to achieve three main objectives, the first is the provision of raw materials to Qatar to meet the needs of the market of raw materials such as Gabbro, limestone, fine sand and washed sand.
The second is to maintain the provision of materials at the same cost price to enable contractors to meet their commitments and complete the major construction projects according to their time plans, and thirdly, the commitment to providing high quality materials.
He confirmed that the company has succeeded in achieving all its three objectives based on advanced planning for the continuity of business and provided sufficient stock to meet the needs of the market of raw materials.
The Qatar Business Continuity Forum was established in 2014 and is part of the 110th Forum of the UK-based Business Continuity Institute.
