Tabletop Exercises Held at Pilot OIZs under the RESMAR Project 19 August 2026

Within the scope of the “Making Industrial Organizations Resilient to Disasters with a Business Continuity Management Approach (RESMAR)” Project, co-financed by the European Union and AFAD, applied training sessions were held in İstanbul between July 29 and 31, 2026, in order to assess the applicability of the Business Continuity Plans prepared for the pilot Organized Industrial Zones. During the programme, the plans were reviewed together with the participants, the scenarios developed during the preparatory meetings were evaluated through the tabletop exercise method, crisis management processes were tested, and the alignment of the plans with the organizational structure and operational reality was analysed.

The first day of the programme took place at the Tuzla Chemical Industrialists Organized Industrial Zone. Participants first received a general briefing on the Business Continuity Management System and on the purpose, scope and principles of use of the plans prepared under the project; the tabletop exercise was then conducted on the basis of the scenarios contained in the plans.

The same method was applied on the second day at the İstanbul Anatolian Side Organized Industrial Zone and on the third day at the Birlik Organized Industrial Zone. At Birlik OIZ, the alignment of the plans with the organizational structure, resource capacity and operational reality of the zone was additionally assessed in detail. End-of-day evaluation sessions were held on each day, and the findings were discussed together with the project team.

During the exercises, the Service Business Continuity Plans prepared for the critical services of each Organized Industrial Zone were operated together with the Integrated Master Plan that brings these plans together under a single coordination mechanism. It was emphasized that each service group is responsible for the implementation and currency of its own plan, while the master plan serves as the core management document ensuring the management of interdependencies between services and the conduct of all processes through an integrated approach during a crisis.

Crisis management processes were evaluated step by step through the scenarios; the activation of the Crisis Management Team, decision-making mechanisms, internal coordination, the distribution of duties, and the processes relating to the continuity of critical services were reviewed. The operational applicability of the duties and responsibilities defined in the plans was tested together with the participants.

The strengths and the areas requiring improvement of each Organized Industrial Zone were assessed jointly, taking into account its organizational structure, available resource capacity and critical services. The importance of operating the Business Continuity Management System in a manner suited to the institutional structure of each OIZ was underlined.

The areas for improvement identified as a result of the applied training were recorded. It was assessed that the plans should be reviewed and revised at regular intervals and supported by applied training. In order to sustain the effectiveness of the system, it was agreed that periodic review activities, performance assessments, reporting processes and controls relating to the plans should be carried out on a regular basis.

At the end of the meetings, it was decided that the necessary revisions would be made to the plans in line with the suggestions put forward by the participants, and that work would continue to improve the system continuously by repeating the applied training at regular intervals.

“Our priority is the Marmara Region, our goal is the whole of Türkiye.”

Project Information

Project Name: Making Industrial Organizations Resilient to Disasters with a Business Continuity Management Approach: Marmara Region Application (RESMAR)

Financing: Co-financed by AFAD and the European Union

Duration: March 2024 – August 2026

Implementation Area: Selected OIZs in the Marmara Region

Objective: To increase the resilience of industrial organizations against disasters, establish business continuity systems, and disseminate good practices.

Contact: resmar.afad.gov.tr | resmar@afad.gov.tr