Pan Macmillan

Objectives:

• Simplify business continuity management and address knowledge gaps
• Reduce time spent on BC operations
• Ensure a robust crisis management strategy was in place and maintained

Solutions/services taken:

• Business continuity strategy and services
• Shadow-Planner

Based in London, Pan Macmillan stands as a significant player among the UK’s major general book publishers. A constituent of Macmillan Publishers International Limited, their reach spans across more than 70 countries worldwide. Notable among their brands are Mantle, Pan, Kingfisher, Two Hoots, Bluebird, Campbell Books, and Macmillan Children’s Books.

The Challenge

Pan Macmillan wanted to establish an uncomplicated and effective method for monitoring recovery needs and plans. Additionally, they sought to bridge knowledge gaps related to business continuity and foster a unified comprehension of departmental necessities to sustain operations during significant incidents.

The Solution

Pan Macmillan partnered with Wavenet and we provided an expert in BC management to assist in systematically cataloguing business continuity details. This securely stored information found its place within Wavenet’s renowned BC planning software, Shadow-Planner.

Since then, Pan Macmillan has streamlined their BC strategy through the creation of a business impact analysis (BIA), strategy definition, and maintenance of a crisis management and business continuity plan.

Our comprehensive service includes an annual schedule of activities that continually elevate BC efforts at Pan Macmillan. Empowered by our specialised support, Shadow-Planner enables them to:

• Seamlessly capture BIA information, establish objectives, and oversee BC planning within a secure, version-controlled repository
• Facilitate the aggregation of recovery priorities outlined in the BIA
• Update and maintain employee contact details for incident notifications during planning
• Monitor all business recovery requisites and optimise asset utilisation
• Sustain a crisis management and business continuity plan, actively exercised alongside the senior leadership team
• Distribute plans and contact groups to users through the award-winning mobile app. Users can personalise relevant plan elements, ensuring notifications are tailored to their needs

The Result

By entrusting Wavenet with the management of their business continuity, the Pan Macmillan team effectively repurposed the time saved to accomplish other pivotal business goals. This move instilled confidence in the competence of specialists overseeing their system. Additionally, it led to cost savings that would otherwise have been expended on hiring additional staff or providing extra training to existing colleagues.

The true worth of this service became evident during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. While numerous organisations were grappling to secure laptops and implement remote work, Pan Macmillan had already made significant advancements in adapting their operational methods and devising a strategy for functioning outside the office environment.

All employees were equipped with laptops and work phones, fully prepared for remote operations. They possessed a comprehensive understanding of the specialised office equipment and had devised methods to compensate for its inaccessibility.

Pan Macmillan demonstrated exceptional readiness and organisation for remote work during the pandemic outbreak, showcasing the benefits of a well-maintained BC management system. This capability enabled the organisation to proactively enhance its resilience and effectively confront potential threats.

Since initially engaging with Pan Macmillan to enhance their BC management in 2016, the results have been so satisfying that Wavenet continues to provide support till the present and into the future.

“Outsourcing the management of this to Wavenet has meant we can focus on our business priorities, secure in the knowledge that we have the systems in place to support us in any event.”
Annika Bergstrand-Henry,
Head of Facilities at Pan Macmillan