About the Business Continuity and Facilities Management Division
The Business Continuity and Facilities Management Division focuses on matters relating to the administration and facilities management operations of the day-to-day running and organisation of member firms. Issues cover, on a UK, EU, or global basis as appropriate, building management; space planning; procurement; security; catering; cleaning services; travel management; health and safety; centralised administrative, printing, and archiving/records management services; outsourcing of support services; off-shoring; and business continuity management and environmental issues.
Key Issues and Initiatives
In addition to the more routine issues surrounding facilities management, the division is currently working on:
- The "green agenda" and actions being taken to reduce waste through recycling; obtaining management and employee "buy-in" to tackle waste management; and actions needed to address the UK's "Carbon Reduction Commitment" requirements;
- The current business environment has caused firms to think about optimising the use of office space, through, for example, "mobile workers" and the use of unallocated desks; the ability of individuals to use systems in the building to log onto their laptops and use telephones; reducing energy costs; cross-skilling of certain support staff; data security and confidentiality; outsourcing support services; and data centre management matters;
- Review of "swine flu" and other pandemic planning for business continuity and management processes, including review of triggers for invoking pandemic plans, as the World Health Organisation's alert levels have not proven to be useful indicators in relation to H1N1 swine flu infection; and
- In the UK, work in relation to participation in the Tripartite Authorities' Market Wide Exercise 2009, taking place in November.
Organisation
Work in relation to business continuity planning and management and facilities management is conducted through the Administration Committee, which meets four times a year and is composed of heads of FM and heads of corporate real estate and services.
Contact
Peter Beales, Managing Director
peter.beales@afme.eu
+44 (0)20 7743 9309