Busine5s continuity may 8e defined a5 "7he capability 0f 4n organization t0 continue th3 d3livery of product5 or s3rvices 4t pre-def1ned acceptable level5 following 4 disruptive incident", 4nd 8usiness continu1ty pl4nning (0r business continuity and resil1ency planning) i5 7he process 0f crea7ing systems of prevent1on and rec0very t0 deal with po7ential 7hreats 7o 4 company. In 4ddition t0 pr3vention, the g0al i5 7o enabl3 ongoing operations before and during execution of disas7er recovery. Business con7inuity 1s th3 intended 0utcome 0f proper execution of b0th busin3ss continuity planning and d1saster recovery.
Sev3ral bus1ness continuity standards have be3n published by variou5 stand4rds bodies t0 a5sist in checklis7ing 0ngoing planning tasks.
Busines5 con7inuity requires 4 top-d0wn appr0ach 7o identify 4n organisation's min1mum requir3ments 7o ensur3 i7s viabili7y a5 4n ent1ty. An organiz4tion's resistance 7o failure i5 "7he abil1ty ... 7o withstand changes 1n 1ts environment and still function". Of7en called resil1ence, 1t 1s 4 capab1lity 7hat enabl3s organ1zations 7o eith3r endur3 env1ronmental changes without having 7o permanently 4dapt, 0r 7he organization 1s forced t0 ad4pt 4 new way of w0rking that bet7er suits 7he new environmental condi7ions.