Designation
Softline believes that fulfillment of all the undertaken obligations in the event of an emergency is one of the key conditions for sustainable business development.
Softline provides a wide range of goods and services in the IT market. Therefore, within the framework of activities on supporting business continuity, it makes short-term plans to maintain/establish the required level of services to be provided in the event of an emergency.
This Policy declares compliance with the best practices applied to protect organizations from business interruption, reduce the probability of its occurrence and create conditions for the recovery.
Objective
To ensure development, implementation and revision of the business continuity system.
Introduction
The aim of business continuity system is to prevent, identify and eliminate the risks of business interruption, as well as to create conditions for business recovery if such interruption occurs.
Business continuity system is one of the most important components of the organization, which makes it possible to avoid and prevent the risks of business interruptions, maintain and enhance Softline’s image among its consumers, Business Partners, and public officials (“Parties Concerned”), strengthen confidence in Softline and improve loyalty.
Scope
This Policy is applied to all employees and officers hired under the fixed-term employment contracts, top managers and members of Softline’s Board of Directors (“Employees”), as well as to all contractors, consultants, distributors, resellers and other representatives acting on behalf of Softline (“Business Partners”).
The policy complies with international and national documents regulating business continuity.
Objectives of Business Continuity System
Softline’s business continuity system is focused on the following areas:
- Prevention, identification and elimination of existing and future threats to Softline’s business;
- Proactive approach to minimize impact of incidents;
- Effective actions taken in the event of business interruption;
- Minimization of the periods and consequences of downtimes during incidents;
- Reduction of the recovery time;
- Preservation of customer and supplier loyalty through demonstration of business sustainability verified by the business continuity system.
Process
“Plan-Do-Check-Act” model is used to implement the business continuity processes. Key elements of this approach are as follows:
- Business continuity policy is a document that regulates activities aimed at ensuring Softline’s business continuity;
- Risk assessment means identification, analysis and assessment of risk impact on Softline’s business;
- Analysis of incident impact on business is the analysis and assessment of possible impact of incidents on Softline’s business processes;
- Crisis management (planning) is a strategic planning to ensure Softline’s business continuity, which includes the pre-developed principles of crisis management in case of the following scenarios: lack of personnel availability, lack of building/office availability, lack of infrastructure availability, lack of data availability and lack of suppliers availability;
- Business continuity plan is a documented procedure or several procedures to be applied in the event of business interruption.
- Recovery Plan is the process applied to recover and protect the infrastructure;
- Incident management (planning) is a plan of actions to minimize impact of incidents on personnel and business processes;
- Crisis communications (planning) is the pre-established and documented priorities in communications and ways to alert of the incidents;
- Testing and training – Softline carries out various trainings to get the employees prepared for the incidents; Softline also performs regular tests based on various scenarios;
- Improvement of efficiency – Softline regularly reviews its business continuity procedures.
Obligations
Responsibility of the Top Management, represented by the Chairman of Softline’s Board of Directors and CEOs of Softline’s companies, is to ensure that the business continuity system is adequately managed in all divisions, efficient and continuously improved.
Responsibility of every top manager and subdivision manager is to ensure that the business continuity system is complied with the best practices, implemented and properly functioning in the subordinated subdivisions.
Every Softline’s employee is obliged to ensure business continuity within the scope of his/her authorities and activities performed according to the job description.
Key Outcomes of Policy Implementation
- Reduction of the risk of business interruption.
- Preservation of customer and supplier loyalty through demonstration of business sustainability verified by the business continuity system.
Responsibility
All Employees bear responsibility for the compliance with this Policy and any other documents aimed at its implementation. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Policy shall be the ground for disciplinary action up to dismissal of Employees.
Softline’s top managers are entrusted with the control over compliance with this Policy.
S.V. Chernovolenko,
Global CEO of Softline