Preparedness for businesses
To ensure your business is ready to handle situations beyond the ordinary, you need to prepare and plan ahead. Here, we outline some measures your company can take to strengthen its resilience.
Businesses must be prepared to manage crises such as a pandemic, severe flooding, prolonged power outages, and extensive wildfires — or, in the worst case, war. Being prepared not only makes it easier to continue delivering goods and services; it also helps protect revenue and your brand, while strengthening trust among customers, public authorities, and society at large.
The role and responsibility of businesses
Businesses play a crucial role in society’s preparedness for crises, threats of war, and armed conflict. For most, this means keeping operations running. Some also have obligations under Preparedness for Businesses agreements or by law.
A strong and stable business sector is essential for providing the population with the goods and services needed to maintain life and health.
If you have questions about your company’s preparedness, you can contact the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency at:
Investigate and plan
Set aside time to identify what your operations depend on to keep functioning, even under strain. Consider what you can do to strengthen resilience, such as installing backup power systems like diesel generators or batteries.
It is wise to prepare for situations such as:
- disruptions to electronic payments and communications
- power outages lasting for an extended period
- limited access to fuel and energy
- shortages of essential goods
- difficulties for staff to get to work
Once you have identified potential vulnerabilities and needs, you will need to develop measures to strengthen your operations.
Learn more about creating business continuity at mcf.se (in Swedish)
Train and practise
Combining different training and exercise initiatives often has the greatest impact. Use activities that take both the individual and the organisation into account – this is an effective way to improve overall capability. Include a scenario to give the exercise context, making it easier for participants to engage with the situation.
Practising is, next to real events, the best way to strengthen your ability to handle challenging situations – even if the scenario differs from an actual event.
You can also train together with others your company would need to collaborate with during a crisis. This could include internal departments, partners, suppliers, or customers. Remember to evaluate new experiences and integrate them into your operations.
Learn more about training and exercises for businesses at mcf.se (in Swedish)
Utbilda och öva ditt företag på mcf.se
Be ready to adapt
There is much to learn from extreme situations around the world and past crises. Experiences from Ukraine show how valuable it is for businesses to continue operating even during, for example, a war.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some companies managed to keep functioning while also contributing to society. Several businesses adapted to meet healthcare needs for hand sanitiser and protective equipment.
Review opportunities to increase production, offer alternative services, or manufacture products that may become scarce. Make use of new technology and innovative approaches, such as recycling or reusing local residual materials.
Learn more about how businesses can adapt and contribute at mcf.se (in Swedish)
Brochure for businesses
The Swedish Civil Defence Agency has produced a brochure for businesses on how to prepare and what to consider.
Preparedness for businesses: In case of crisis or war at mcf.se