Preparing for ISO 22301 certification starts long before an auditor steps through your door. The goal is clear: make business continuity more than just a policy on paper. You can use this ISO 22301 self-assessment checklist template to evaluate how well your business continuity management system (BCMS) stacks up against the standard.
Key elements of the ISO 22301 self-assessment checklist
This checklist gives you a clear snapshot of how prepared your organization really is. To make the most of the template, here are the key elements it covers:
- Business continuity policy and program: This section assesses whether your continuity framework is formalized and supported by leadership. You can use it to confirm that roles are defined, objectives are set, and your commitment to continuity is more than just a formality.
- Business impact analysis and risk assessment: A solid BIA pinpoints what matters most—your critical processes, resources, and acceptable downtime. Paired with risk evaluation, this helps prioritize your planning and direct your efforts where they’ll count.
- Business continuity strategies and plans: This part checks if you’ve actually built usable plans. It looks at how you’ll recover essential operations, protect assets, and assign responsibilities if problems happen.
- Training, testing, and awareness: A plan on paper means nothing if nobody knows about it. This section focuses on how well your team is trained and whether the plans are tested and improved over time.
- Performance evaluation and continuous improvement: Ongoing reviews, audits, and corrective actions make your BCMS a dynamic system. This keeps you aligned with ISO 22301 requirements and ready for whatever comes next.
Customizing the ISO 22301 self-assessment checklist
No two business continuity programs are the same, which is why this ISO 22301 checklist is fully customizable. Whether you’re running a lean team or managing multiple sites across regions, customizing it allows you to focus on what really matters to your organization.
Start by adjusting the scope of your checklist. If your operations are decentralized, break it down by site or department to assess each area individually. This way, you avoid blanket answers and get insights that lead to meaningful improvements.
You can also modify the checklist to reflect your company’s terminology. Rename roles, update procedures, and include internal reference codes to make the checklist easier for your team to follow and act on.
Feel free to use conditional logic to hide or show questions depending on the user’s role or business unit. This keeps the checklist focused and prevents irrelevant items from cluttering your process.
Start improving your continuity strategy today
This template is a practical, systematic tool you can use right away—for conducting internal audits, preparing for certification, or reviewing your current processes. You’ll save time, reduce back-and-forth, and make it easier to identify what needs work across your team. Start using the template now to streamline your reviews and bring more clarity to your continuity planning.