The principal objective of the Group is to provide a forum for promoting the sharing of information, experiences and solutions relating to Business Continuance in the finance industry. The Group particularly emphasises being “run for end users, by end users”.

We aim to achieve this by:

• Focusing on business issues rather than technology ones
• Maintaining a vendor independent environment
• Maintaining a concern for the full range of problems from minor interruptions through to full contingency and recovery procedures
• By a focused membership and encouraging senior representation
• By being self funding

A small informal discussion at City IT in November 1993 suggested that there was a potential need within the financial industry for a user group concerned with matters relating to Business Continuance and Disaster Recovery within the finance sector.

An exploratory meeting in May 1994, to which representatives from about 25 financial institutions were invited, confirmed the appetite for such a group resulting in the creation of The Business Continuance Group (TBCG).

The TBCG operates "for end users, by end users" - that a problem shared is a problem halved (so the expression goes).

The TBCG is not a lobbying or standard setting group, although we do meet with / receive presentations from standard setters (including regulators) and the government. Amongst those who have attended our meetings are:

• Prudential Regulation Authority (and its predecessor, the Financial Services Authority)
• The Corporation of London, in particular their security and contingency planning content
• The London Resilience Partnership
• The British Standards Institution
• The Business Continuity Institute (note: many of our regular attendees are Members or Fellows of the BCI; some are, or have been, BCI officers)