executive summary
In May 2023, our customer “BPER Banca” faced a dire situation as more than 20 rivers flooded across Emilia-Romagna. This event posed a significant threat to the Bank’s operations and the communities it serves. However, with proactive business continuity measures and strategic use of advanced tools, BPER Banca not only survived the crisis, but emerged as a beacon of resilience and adaptability. By quickly activating continuity protocols and leveraging technology to our advantage, we were able to mitigate negative impacts, minimize service disruptions, and remain committed to our business continuity goals.
This case study highlights the importance of preparedness, agility, and innovation when dealing with unexpected challenges, ultimately serving customers and protecting their interests in the face of adversity. This highlights BPER Banca’s unwavering dedication.
introduction
In May 2023, relentless rains hit the Po Valley, raising the risk of flooding across Emilia-Romagna. BPER Banca recognized the potential for disruption to its operations and acted quickly to protect business continuity. The main objective was to provide uninterrupted banking services even under the imminent threat of natural disasters, thereby maintaining customer confidence and financial stability.
assignment
Crisis management teams faced multifaceted challenges during crisis response.
Acting quickly in emergencies where twin units are not available poses a major hurdle and requires agile decision-making and adaptation. The landscape evolved continuously, with added complexity due to the asynchronous flooding of 22 rivers. As a result, pre-emptive branch closures were necessary to allow for quick reopening, even if some branches remained intact.
The torrential rains resulted in numerous landslides, which not only disrupted movement but also damaged communications infrastructure, making communication management more difficult. Additionally, landslides further complicated the situation, isolating certain areas and prompting alternative measures to ensure ATM functionality, such as the use of 4G-enabled devices.
Finally, the lack of supplier mapping makes mitigating supplier-related risks even more difficult. However, through consistent communication with key suppliers, the crisis management team successfully managed this aspect.
These challenges have highlighted the imperative of being flexible and resourceful to overcome unforeseen obstacles and maintain continuity of service in a dynamic situation.
Activities carried out
BPER Banca’s war room was immediately swung into action, strengthened by a robust testing regime and extensive experience. The business continuity team began a pre-assessment phase powered by the Orbit Open Platform (Orbit) to predict potential impacts. Identify critical business processes and backup resources to ensure operational resiliency through Orbit. This phase helped draw attention to key processes and initiate backup plans.
Specifically, the team focused on 20 critical business impact analyzes (BIAs) to assess whether dedicated units or twin units with recovery solutions were in place. Utilizing comprehensive mapping pre-conducted in Orbit, the twin units to activate were quickly identified.
BPER Banca then leveraged Everbridge’s geolocation capabilities to visualize critical resources previously identified in Orbit. This facilitated the creation of a contact list of 226 colleagues and ensured that stakeholders were informed of the impending situation. By combining Everbridge’s emergency notification feature with his Orbit information, he was able to target communications based on the type of recipient, increasing effectiveness.
This collaborative approach, combining Orbit’s capabilities with Everbridge’s capabilities, highlighted BPER Banca’s proactive approach to crisis management and ensured it was prepared and responsive in the face of adversity.
result
Despite the challenges, BPER Banca was able to minimize simultaneous branch closures and maintain operational continuity. Proactive measures, such as redeploying resources to secure branches and continued communication with stakeholders, reduced service disruptions. The bank’s robust disaster recovery protocols ensured uninterrupted cash flow, even as cash flow was diverted from unaffected regions. Additionally, the Bank’s rapid response following the floods highlighted the Bank’s commitment to business continuity and customer welfare by providing tailored financial assistance to affected customers.
lessons learned
This crisis has highlighted the importance of comprehensive assessments and contingency plans to mitigate disruption to business operations. The lack of supplier mapping highlighted the importance of vendor resiliency in ensuring overall business continuity. Additionally, the experience highlighted the need for flexible contingency plans and stronger collaboration between sectors to effectively deal with unforeseen challenges.
conclusion
BPER Banca’s proactive crisis management approach during the 2023 Emilia-Romagna floods demonstrates the paramount importance of business continuity planning in mitigating risk and maintaining operational resilience. By leveraging technology, strategic planning and collaborative efforts, the Bank not only weathered the crisis, but emerged stronger, with a commitment to maintaining uninterrupted service delivery and fostering customer trust in the face of adversity. I reconfirmed. BPER Banca demonstrated remarkable resilience, managing the simultaneous closure of two to five branches during peak periods and ensuring continuity of service. Despite the challenges, the situation remained manageable and under control, eliminating the need for a formal declaration of crisis. The World Bank’s proactive stance garnered praise, prompting an approach from the European Central Bank to ensure stability. Additionally, effective management was achieved in the post-flood phase, with the World Bank providing specific financing tools and programs to assist affected populations. BPER Banca’s skillful crisis management, coupled with its proactive response and dedication to customer welfare, demonstrates its unwavering commitment to business continuity and community support.
References
Information provided by: Marco Gatti, Business Continuity Manager, BPER Banca
