Industry Issues
Business Continuity Planning
NASD Rules 3510 and 3520—FINRA's emergency preparedness rules—require firms to create and maintain business continuity plans (BCPs) appropriate to the scale and scope of their businesses, and to provide FINRA with emergency contact information. This page provides general information related to BCPs for securities firms.
Pandemic Preparedness
One of the elements of the BCP rule (3510) is a financial and operational assessment. This element requires firms to consider operational risk exposure to relevant threats, including a pandemic. For specific information about pandemic preparedness, please see FINRA's Pandemic Preparedness page.
Related Resources
FINRA’s Business Continuity Plan
Small Firm Emergency Partner Program: A Voluntary Addition to a Firm's BCP
Securities and Exchange Commission/Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System/Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Joint White Paper on Business Continuity Planning
General Accounting Office, "Report on Potential Terrorist Attacks: Additional Actions Needed to Better Prepare Critical Financial Market Participants: Report Nos. GAO-03-251 and GAO-03-414 (Feb. 2003)
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association's Business Continuity Planning Page
The Disaster Recovery Institute
Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security
FINRA Notices
- Regulatory Notice 07-49
Guidance for Firms Affected by the California Wildfires
- Notice to Members 06-74
Member Business Continuity Experiences Regarding Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
- Notice to Members 06-31
NASD Requests Comment on Regulatory Relief that Should Be Granted in Response to a Possible Pandemic or Other Major Business Disruption
- Notice to Members 05-57
Guidance to Members Affected by Hurricane Katrina
- Notice to Members 04-37
SEC Approves Rules Requiring Members to Create Business Continuity Plans and Provide Emergency Contact Information (Notice posted on 5/05/04)
- Notice to Members 02-23
The NASD seeks Comment On Proposed Rules Relating to Member Firm Business Continuity Plans and Emergency Contact Information (Notice posted on 4/10/02)
Related Rulemaking
Tools & Resources
- Business Continuity Planning FAQ
- FINRA Small Firm Business Continuity Plan Template
- An example of BCP disclosure statement for introducing firms with a clearing firm arrangement.
- BCP Case Study (PDF 81 KB) – an exercise to help frame your BCP planning
FINRA News Releases
- 10/11/07: FINRA Announces Small Firm Emergency Partner Program
- 3/21/02: NASD Board Approves Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Plan
