CORPORATE NEWS

CBS Asia Signs Contract to Provide Business Continuity Planning and Pandemic Preparedness Consultancy Services for South China Morning Post

30th April 2007

Continuity Business Solutions today signed a full services contract with Hong Kong's leading English language newspaper the South China Morning Post to provide business continuity planning and pandemic preparedness consultancy services.

The contract, expected to last 10 months involves four distinct phases:

Phase One: Review Current Avian Influenza Preparedness Plans.

Activities Summary: Ascertain SCMP's current state of readiness for an Avian Influenza pandemic for two locations (Taikoo and Tai Po). Identify areas of non-readiness, recommend remedial actions.

Phase Two: Conduct a thorough Business Impact Analysis.

Activities Summary: Conduct a thorough Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to identify SCMP critical functions and the impact of their failure on Finance, Customer Service and Legal/Regulatory Requirements.

Phase Three: Compile a Business Continuity Plan Implementation Proposal.

Activities Summary: Compile Business Continuity Plan (BCP) implementation proposal based on critical functions, non-critical functions, current response procedures and cost/benefits identified in the BIA.

Phase Four: Implement a full Business Continuity Plan.

Activities Summary: Implement SCMP Business Continuity Plan and bring SCMP to a state of readiness for Unexpected disruptions and Avian Influenza pandemic preparedness.

By the end of the services contract, SCMP will have documented detailed Business Continuity Plan (BCP) with all staff and management fully trained and the BCP thoroughly tested through a series of drills and exercises.

In addition, the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) report conducted during Phase Two will highlight critical and non critical processes, analyse current response procedures for effectiveness, and a cost/benefit analysis carried out to quantify the set up (and ongoing) costs of implementing a corporate wide business continuity plan vs. the potential disruptional losses if a continuity plan is not implemented.

"We are extremely pleased to secure this contract with the SCMP" said Nigel Thomas, Managing Director of Continuity Business Solutions Ltd. "The SCMP are leaders in the field of publishing and have now shown they are also leaders in the field of proactive thinking by preparing a robust operation which will see it through another century of continuous business activities".

He added "We can only hope that other organisations will follow SCMP's lead by realising that conducting business in the 21st Century means 'no more excuses' for not having plans in place to ensure the continuous provision of service to customers and clients whatever disruptions are presented".

South China Morning Post is Hong Kong's leading English language newspaper with an avid following of subscribers throughout the world. Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (symbol SCMP), the SCMP was established in 1903 and employs over 1000 people.

Continuity Business Solutions Limited (CBS Asia) has been providing Business Continuity planning services and specialist Avian Influenza preparedness products since 2005 to over 60 local and international companies in Hong Kong through its consultancy services and workshops. This includes Pfizer, Jardine Pacific, AVESCO, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, International SOS, PCCW, KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers. A full list of satisified clients can be found on their CBS Asia Clients page.

Additionally, CBS Asia funds and operates a free online 'do-it-yourself' manual allowing small businesses and start ups without the funds to hire consultancy services put together their own preparedness plans for a Bird Flu Pandemic. Bird Flu Manual Online contains all the references and resources needed to get planning underway including how-to-do sections, templates and ready made training presentations. Bird Flu Manual Online was recently voted 'Best free reference and resource mine on the net' for Avian Inluenza planning for businesses. Testament to this is the over 1000 visitors a day it receives from business planning managers from all over the world.