Advanced Business Continuity Audit (BC-402)

CBRA Seminar: Business Continuity Audit (2-day workshop)

The objective of the business continuity audit course is to teach students how to assess a company’s ability to maintain continuity in the event of a business disruption. It provides 2 days of intensive business continuity audit training to enable students to determine the effectiveness, adequacy, and quality of an organization’s Business Continuity Program.

Students will have the opportunity to take the optional CBRA (Certified Business Resilience Auditor) exam during the business continuity audit course. Learn more about becoming a CBRA at BRCCI website.

Includes Business Continuity Audit Case Study and Business Continuity Plan Document Audit Review Workshop.

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Who Should Take Business Continuity Audit Course?

The business continuity audit course is intended for anyone with or without prior audit knowledge or experience. Day 1 includes an overview of the BC program. The following personnel are strongly recommended to attend Business Continuity Audit:

Business continuity coordinator
Business continuity auditor / compliance auditor
Information security auditor
Financial auditor
Internal / external business continuity auditor
Risk management professionals
Business continuity professional / consultant
Senior executive and management
Emergency / disaster recovery professionals

The business continuity audit class is designed for anyone who wants to:

Learn business continuity audit concepts, principles, and a step-by-step audit methodology
Become a business continuity auditor
Conduct an assessment of the business continuity audit within their own organization
Provide business continuity audit consulting services
Learn known difficulties and challenges expected during a business continuity audit

At the end of the business continuity audit class students will learn how to:

Conduct a business continuity audit based on a well-founded audit framework
Review the organization’s business continuity audit processes
Identify strengths and weaknesses of a business continuity audit
Formulate recommendations to strengthen a business continuity audit
Avoid common auditing mistakes
Follow a structured approach to a business continuity audit
Present and explain business continuity audit analysis to senior management

Why Take This Business Continuity Audit Course?

Students taking CBRA Seminar will be able to:

Become a professional business continuity auditor
Determine the level of corporate compliance against industry audit standards, rules, and regulations
Reduce risks, vulnerabilities, and operational losses in the event of a business disruption
Reduce insurance premiums through compliance
Improve client, partner, and supplier retention and relationships
Increase control over internal/external business continuity processes
Insure business continuity program and plan are reliable, effective, and on track

Business Continuity Audit Course Features

A comprehensive overview of the business continuity audit including the business continuity planning and management processes.
A step-by-step audit methodology based on industry standards, guidelines, and best practices such as ISO/IEC 17799, Cobit, NFPA 1600, FFIEC, and SAS 70.
A sample case study of a business continuity audit.
Business continuity audit take-home templates.

Business Continuity Audit Course Topics

Purpose and scope of BCP
Introduction to a business continuity program
Business continuity program life-cycle process
Business continuity program management overview
Need for a business continuity audit
Compliance rules, regulations, and standards
Objectives of a business continuity audit
Scope of business continuity audit
Types of business continuity audit
Comparison of internal and external audit
Critical success factors
Audit issues and challenges
Audit methodology phases
Establishing an internal business continuity audit
Comparison of active and passive audits
Business continuity auditor’s role and responsibilities
Business continuity audit related guidelines and standards (including Sarbanes-Oxley)
Business continuity audit budget
Business continuity audit gap analysis
Assessing business continuity and disaster recovery maturity levels
Customizing audit examination approach
Business continuity audit areas
Detailed audit activities for each area
Audit questionnaires and interviews
Business continuity audit tools and templates
Response analysis
Recommendations
Audit reporting guidelines
Sample business continuity audit case study
Sample business continuity audit case study exercises and questionnaires

The course includes a sample case study of a business continuity audit. Students will also learn about the known difficulties and challenges expected during a business continuity audit. Students will receive business continuity audit plan take-home templates.

Business Continuity Audit Methodology Phases

Phase 1 - Audit Initiation

Learn how to initiate a business continuity audit, raise awareness, and gain commitment

Phase 2 - Compliance Requirements

Learn how to determine business continuity audit objectives, scope, rules, regulations, and standards compliance requirements for an organization

Phase 3 - Compliance Maturity Evaluation

Learn how to determine current corporate compliance

Phase 4 - Audit Customization

Learn how to align business continuity audit to specific company requirements

Phase 5 - Audit Planning Process

Learn how to develop a business continuity audit strategy and a project plan.

Phase 6 - Business Continuity Audit Plan Implementation

Learn how to implement project plan and collect data

Phase 7 - Audit Data Synthesis and Analysis

Learn how to synthesis, analyze, and consolidate business continuity audit data

Phase 8 - Compliance Gap Analysis

Determine level of corporate compliance against industry audit standards, rules and regulations

Phase 9 - Business Continuity Audit Review

Learn how to review and revise findings

Phase 10 - Business Continuity Audit Reporting

Learn how develop and present the business continuity audit report

Testimonial

I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you and, in particular, Dr. Syed, for the impressive curriculums that were presented last week. I had the privilige of sitting Dr. Syed's seminar for the CBRM as well as the CBRA. In short, they were both well structured to present complex processes and concepts in a cohesive, concise and logical order. Moreover, the two curriculums will serve as the priamry drivers for how I structure my internal Business Continuity/Resiliency models as well as my auditing techniques. The "takeaways" from both classes are superb in terms of ease of use and clarity of logic. Of note, the seminar setting offered an intelectual intimacy that fostered solid discussion and direct dialog on the complex topics presented. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would most certainly recommand and encourage attendance to both seminars. Well Done! - John Kunert

Upcoming CBRA Seminar venue locations and dates