Ecosystem-centric business continuity planning (eco-centric BCP): A post COVID19 new normal

This article views the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as an opportunity leading to a significant reduction in pollution levels, clean waters in rivers, improved visibility, and other tangible benefits to humanity and the environment. In a post-COVID scenario, to restore the margins and regain the lost production, industries are likely to increase their production leading to a quantum jump in the pollution levels.

Having precedence of such a scenario in 2008-09, this article looks at what are the possible avenues to engage the city government and business houses through a new normal Eco-centric Business Continuity Planning (BCP) concept for long term sustainability. The Ten Principles for the Eco-centric BCP presented in this paper would guide the reopening of micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs) after the lockdown period called to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The eco-centric BCP model, the authors hope, would help the MSMEs to adopt the new-normal business strategies to align with country-specific commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and the Paris declaration.