Compliance guide

Business Continuity Plan Examples

The quickest way to write a business continuity plan is to see worked examples. This guide walks through real disruption scenarios and sample responses, shows what a strong BCP looks like, and gives you an editable sample. Prefer to start from a blank structure? Use our business continuity plan template.

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Last updated 14 June 2026

Key takeaways

Good BCP examples are scenario-based: they name a disruption and spell out the response.
The strongest plans are short and specific, a clear playbook beats a 60-page document.
Each scenario should map to a recovery time (RTO) and who's responsible.
Use the worked examples below as a starting point, then tailor them to your business.

What a good business continuity plan example looks like

Whether it's a sample BCP for a small business or an IT business continuity plan, the best examples share the same traits:

Scenario-driven, organised around realistic disruptions, not abstract theory.
Action-oriented, clear first steps someone can follow under pressure.
Owned, each action has a named role responsible.
Time-bound, tied to recovery objectives (RTOs).
Tested, refined through tabletop exercises, not written once and filed.

Worked examples: common disruption scenarios

Here are sample scenarios and responses you can adapt for your own plan:

Example 1, IT / system outage

Trigger: core systems down. First steps: invoke the plan, switch to manual/backup process, notify customers. Recover from last backup (RPO 1 hour), target RTO 4 hours. Owner: IT lead.

Example 2, cyber incident (ransomware)

Trigger: suspected ransomware. First steps: isolate affected systems, trigger incident response, preserve evidence. Restore clean backups; notify per breach rules. Owner: incident manager.

Example 3, loss of premises

Trigger: site inaccessible (fire/flood). First steps: account for staff, switch to remote work or alternate site, redirect calls/mail. Owner: operations manager.

Example 4, key supplier failure

Trigger: critical supplier can't deliver. First steps: activate alternate supplier, communicate with affected customers, adjust commitments. Owner: procurement lead.

Example 5, loss of key people

Trigger: key staff unavailable. First steps: activate cross-trained cover, prioritise critical tasks using documented procedures. Owner: department head.

Scenario to response, at a glance

A simple way to summarise your plan, one row per disruption:

Disruption	Continuity strategy	Typical RTO
IT / system outage	Backups + manual workaround	Hours
Cyber incident	Isolate, restore clean backups	Hours to days
Loss of premises	Remote work / alternate site	1 day
Key supplier failure	Alternate supplier / buffer stock	Days
Loss of key people	Cross-training / documented procedures	Immediate

Get the editable business continuity plan sample

Drop your email below and we'll send an editable BCP sample (Word and PDF) with the scenarios above, ready to adapt.

Frequently asked questions

Are these business continuity plan examples free?+

Yes. The worked scenarios and the scenario-to-response summary are free to use and adapt. A tailored, done-for-you plan is the only paid option.

Can I use one of these examples for my business?+

Use them as a starting point. The scenarios are common to most businesses, but you should adjust the triggers, owners and recovery times to match how you actually operate.

What does a simple business continuity plan example include?+

At minimum: your critical activities, the main disruption scenarios, the response and owner for each, recovery time objectives, and a contact/call tree. Our template lays this out in full.

Do you have an IT-specific example?+

Yes, the IT/system outage and cyber incident scenarios above cover the IT (disaster recovery) side. For the underlying controls, see our cyber security and incident response guides.

Prefer your business continuity plan done for you?

Tell us about your operations and we'll prepare a tailored BCP, built from proven scenarios with your critical activities and recovery times mapped in.

Requests for the business continuity plan are reviewed and prepared manually, we'll follow up by email.