As announced in its National Security Strategy, the British Government recently published the National Risk Register. This sets out its assessment of the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different risks that might directly affect the UK.
 
This is the first time that these risks have been published, and it’s aim is to encourage public debate on security and help businesses, organisations and communities to prepare for
emergencies.

National Risk 08, which is being held in London on December 10, will explore the National Risk Register, explain its importance to the document’s many different audiences, and will promote understanding and active partnerships between these audiences and the government.

This conference will increase community safety and effective business continuity. It will achieve this by identifying and communicating the partnerships and activities organisations must develop to implement their corporate responsibilities to their workforce and investors.

In short, the National Risk Register just makes good business sense.

The conference will be divided into three parts, the first of which will look at the concept of the National Risk Register from the perspective of those who helped to put the document together, along with an outline of today’s global threats.

This will be followed by practical examples of why preparedness and business continuity measures are so vital, a look at the legal fall-out if organisations are found wanting in a crisis and advice on reputation management and the media handling.

The last session will focus on preparedness for those risks that are highlighted as particularly acute in the National Risk Register. Experts will examine the myths and realities of pandemic preparedness, building resilience for the future and safety preparations for the 2012 Olympics in the context of the National Risk Register, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear preparedness for businesses and organisations.

This high-level conference is organised jointly by Crisis Response Journal and Valentis Bridge Ltd, which is headed by Brett Lovegrove, former Head of Counter Terrorism for the City of London Police. It is supported by London First, which represents the capital’s leading employers in key sectors such as financial and business services, property, transport, ICT, creative industries and retail.

The main audience will be ministerial level, the Cabinet Office, Home Office and the strategic end of the business community, as well as CPNI, SOCA, local authorities, emergency services, health authorities, the Department for Transport and Transport for London, the Civil Aviation Authority, utility providers, education authorities and the information assurance industry.

Speakers will be drawn from these stakeholders and will include government level participants, the private sector, the security services, legal representatives and the media.