Which of the following ensures that the programme and its components remain in line with the organisation's overall strategy?

Maintenance is the ongoing lifecycle phase within Business Continuity Management that involves regularly reviewing, updating, and auditing the business continuity programme. Organizations are dynamic, and their strategic objectives, internal structures, and external environments frequently change. The maintenance process ensures that the business continuity programme, including its policies, BIAs, strategies, and plans, remains current, relevant, and strictly aligned with the organization's evolving overall strategy and operational realities.

B. Dependency refers to the reliance on internal or external resources (e.g., suppliers, IT systems) to perform activities, not the strategic alignment of the programme.
C. Functionality relates to how well a specific system, application, or process operates, rather than the overarching upkeep and strategic alignment of the BC programme.
D. Process is a generic term for a set of interrelated activities and does not specifically denote the lifecycle phase dedicated to programme upkeep and strategic alignment.

- ISO 22313:2020, Security and resilience — Business continuity management systems — Guidance, Clause 9 (Performance evaluation) and Clause 10 (Improvement).

- Business Continuity Institute (BCI) Good Practice Guidelines (GPG), Validation and Maintenance Phase.