Building Resilience: Why every business needs a continuity plan

In an ever-changing world, businesses face a variety of risks, from natural disasters to cyberattacks, that can disrupt operations and threaten their survival.

The good news? With the right preparation, businesses can mitigate these risks and bounce back stronger than ever.

North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF) is committed to helping businesses prepare for emergencies through practical resources and expert guidance. One of the most effective tools they offer is a business continuity plan template, designed to help businesses identify critical operations, assess risks, and outline strategies to maintain operations during disruptions.

Why create a business continuity plan?

A business continuity plan is more than just a document—it’s a lifeline for your organisation. It ensures that your business can:

  • Respond effectively to emergencies, minimising downtime.
  • Protect critical operations and maintain essential services.
  • Communicate clearly with staff, customers, and suppliers during a crisis.
  • Recover quickly, reducing financial and reputational damage.

How to Get Started

NYLRF provides a user-friendly template to guide businesses through the process of creating a tailored continuity plan. The template includes:

  • A checklist of essential supplies, equipment, and data backups.
  • Guidance on identifying critical business functions and assessing risks.
  • Tips for training staff and testing your plan to ensure its effectiveness.

You can access the template and additional resources here: Protect your business in an emergency | North Yorkshire Council

1-2-1 SEO Support: Tailored advice to help your website rank higher in Google

These sessions offer practical, one-to-one SEO support that’s all about your business. Many business owners have already attended SEO courses or watched tutorials but still struggle when it comes to applying what they’ve learned to their own website. This support is designed to look at your site, your goals and discuss specific actions you can take to make real improvements.

Strive Live Start-Up Incubator: October 2025 (BSL Interpreted)

Following ongoing high demand and supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs, the Growth Hub is planning to once again partner up with Enterprise Cube to deliver a cohort of the Strive Live Start-Up Incubator, scheduled for October 2025. Find out more about more about the programme below, and register your interest to secure the first places when dates are confirmed.

Advice and Support for North Yorkshire Businesses

North Yorkshire Council offer support to businesses across the region. We understand that there may be particular pressures as a result of the Moorland Wildfire. If you need to talk to a business advisor, please email business.nyc@northyorks.gov.uk and one of our colleagues will be in touch. If you’re in the Visitor Economy, Visit North Yorkshire offers specialist support, get in touch by contacting the team.

Steps into Digital: Data Analytics for Smarter Decisions Workshop Series

This nine part workshop series is designed to help businesses at every stage of their data journey from those just starting out to those ready to explore artificial intelligence and compliance. Each session is practical, jargon free and grounded in real business use cases, ensuring participants leave with tools and knowledge they can apply immediately.

Scams warning as Self Assessment customers targeted

Scammers often impersonate HMRC, offering fake refunds or demanding urgent payments to steal personal and banking information. They may say it’s safe to share personal details. It’s not. Passwords, usernames, and access codes are private and customers should never share them, even with someone they trust or who helps them with their tax.

York and North Yorkshire farms urged to apply for sustainability funding

Farms and businesses that have had an energy audit can now apply for funding up to £49,950 to help decarbonise their businesses. York and North Yorkshire’s Business Sustainability Programme will help farms and businesses implement changes that have been recommended by the local authority or Grow Yorkshire decarbonisation support programme or one which has been done by a suitable private sector organisation.