Joachim Reinke warns SME emergency plans often fail in real crises

Many German small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) have documented emergency plans, often driven by client, insurer or ISO 27001 requirements. While the paperwork defines responsibilities and processes, real incidents such as server outages, cyber‑attacks or sudden site closures expose a gap between documented preparation and actual crisis capability.

Joachim Reinke, information‑security expert and founder of einfachISO, explains that a plan that is only documented, not current, concrete and rehearsed, can do more harm than good. He advises that emergency plans must be aligned with practice, kept up‑to‑date and regularly tested under realistic conditions to be effective when needed.