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Inspiration

Navigating an unpredictable climate

hen the summer rolls around, people typi- ularly back up critical data and store it in secure
cally tuck away extra layers of clothing, off-site locations or the cloud. You're likely familiar
bring out lawn chairs, camping equipment, with PCI data, software and device requirements,
W beach blankets and more. They anticipate but have you extended your security efforts to parts
afternoons walking barefoot along the boardwalk, licking of the business that do not deal with transaction
ice cream cones, and exploring new locations on day-trips, data or other personally identifiable information?
weekends away or longer vacations. And payments pro- Robust security practices, including encryption
fessionals touch base with seasonal merchants to ensure and access controls, should be in place everywhere
they're all set for an influx of new customers seeking to in your business.
rent canoes, jet skis or cabins nestled along burbling riv-
ers. • Scalable infrastructure: Have a scalable infra-
structure that can accommodate potential surges in
These days, though, businesses face weather that's more transaction volumes during emergencies. This in-
unpredictable than it used to be. And knowing how to cludes being able to handle increased online trans-
successfully navigate extreme climate events has become actions, peak demands and potentially dramatic
a must. Luckily, you can increase the likelihood you’ll still shifts in consumer behavior.
be in business in the aftermath of a wildfire, flood or other
such calamity. • Disaster recovery: Have comprehensive disaster
recovery and risk management plans in place. This
Smart actions to take means assessing vulnerabilities, establishing pro-
tocols for disaster response, and conducting regu-
Here are tips for protecting your business during extreme lar drills and tests to ensure preparedness. Also,
conditions: partnerships with alternative service providers
and redundant systems can help mitigate risks and
• Business continuity: Develop business continu- maintain service continuity.
ity plans that consider various climate-related sce-
narios. Identify potential risks, create contingency • Continuous monitoring and adaptation: Monitor
plans and establish protocols for maintaining op- climate-related risks routinely and adapt strategies
erations during disruptive events. It's crucial to accordingly. By staying informed about climate
have backup systems, redundancies and alterna- trends and updates, you can adjust your opera-
tive communication channels in place to ensure tions, infrastructure and processes to enhance the
minimal disruption to services. way you respond to climate events and boost resil-
ience.
• Remote work capabilities: You likely sorted out
remote work policies and infrastructure when so You might also take a look at increasing energy efficiency.
many offices shifted to remote work during the This could mean using energy-efficient equipment,
pandemic. If not, set them up now so you can optimizing data centers, reducing paper usage or
maintain business operations when physical work- implementing other environmentally friendly practices
places become inaccessible or unsafe due to ex- you discover. Swap knowledge with colleagues at industry
treme weather conditions. Consider how you will events, too, an activity that might ultimately save your
provide employees with required tools, secure net- business—and people's lives.
work access and communication platforms so they
can remain productive for the duration.
• Data backup and security: If you've endured cli-
mate events that caused power outages or infra-
structure damage, you know it's essential to reg- Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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