Some companies have yet to invest in long-range planning in order to safeguard personnel and business operations against disasters or other disruptions, despite the threat of avian flu and other business interruptions like the 2005 hurricane season, 2003 blackout and 9/11. In response, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has expanded its crisis management guideline and will hold an event sponsored by Oakland University on April 30, 2007, to educate companies in the key steps for business continuity planning (BCP) and implementation. 

In the event a disaster or crisis strikes, companies lacking well- conceived and actively tested plans, face the possibility of endangerment to employees, stalled operations that create a domino effect throughout the supply chain and even going out of business altogether.

 AIAG has updated its original crisis management guideline - the first and only guideline of its kind for the automotive industry - into a comprehensive toolkit with the aim of helping companies of any size and structure to identify and develop a plan to ensure the safety and security of their employees, as well as recognize key processes and equipment that are most vital and time sensitive to operations. New elements include emergency communications, business resumption planning and information technology disaster recovery planning.

With the theme of Moving Business Forward Despite Interruption, AIAG's Business Continuity Planning Seminar and Workshop at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., will feature overviews of the revised document, lessons learned from other companies and an avian flu scenario. Another highlight will be a session on AIAG's pandemic flu initiative, a preparation plan to help Tier Two and Three suppliers contain outbreaks, prevent disruptions in business and consider how operations would continue with a drastically reduced work force.

Speakers will include representatives from DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Federal-Mogul Corp., Ernst & & Young, Michigan State University and Raymond James & Associates. Additionally, companies will demonstrate disaster recovery solutions. The complete agenda is available on the AIAG Web site at http://www.aiag.org.

To register for AIAG's Business Continuity Planning Seminar and Workshop, visit http://www.aiag.org or contact AIAG customer service at (248) 358-3003. Attendees will receive a free copy of AIAG's Business Continuity Planning Toolkit for the Automotive Supply Chain document scheduled for release in April 2007.

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