The world around us is changing, and thus the traditional definition of resilience and preparedness are no longer sufficient. Although Finland is globally known as a model for preparedness, this entity is lacking a crucial dimension of digital resilience. Our society probably has many organisations that are not recognised as critical digital resilience players, yet they have a big impact on the functionality of our society through various dependencies.
We Finns are adept at preparing for various situations. Our country’s four distinct seasons alone create a multitude of environmental scenarios where we must continue to operate without hesitation. Our history, too, is filled with events where wise actions as a nation have enabled the Finland we know today.
Traditionally, resilience means preparing for potential crises and disruptions. The key aspect is continuity management: ensuring the vital functions that allow society and businesses to operate and people to live their daily lives safely.
How do we fix the levels of our digital resilience to match the needs of today?
Digital resilience: A new level of security for all modern societies
Digital resilience means expanding the concept of resilience and preparedness to include digital environments and processes related to our everyday operational capability.
As many daily routines rely on digital systems, the key question in digital resilience is this: If the situation around us changes drastically, will those systems and various services be available?
If the situation around us were to change drastically, can we carry on with our daily lives or maintain our operational capability using the digital systems our lives are built on?
Who are you dependent on and who relies on you?
Understanding the entirety of digital resilience is crucial in realising that we live in a dependency society, where our true operational capability depends on digital matters. When was the last time your organisation scoped whose services your organisation is dependent on? And whose daily life relies on the availability and reliability of the services your organisation provides? Understanding this creates agility to respond to changes and support people’s operational capability.
The goal of digital resilience for companies can be seen as the ability to continue operations with minimal special arrangements, whether it concerns the digital environments the organisation uses itself or offers for others to use.
When was the last time your organisation scoped the digital services that your organisation depends on? Or do you know who relies on the digital services you provide?
Building a flexible and resilient society
The daily life of a flexible and resilient society is built on routines – the aim is to ensure the continuity and balance of digital environments. The sense of control and security is a key pillar for the continuity of society’s operations.
The better we are aware of the risks that threaten us at any given time, the better we understand what they would mean if they materialised. We also know how to act in disruption and exceptional situations. When this is combined with regular practice in handling disruption and exceptional situations, we have better conditions to ensure continuity. This applies to societal actors, companies, and individuals alike.
In the broader societal picture, digital resilience is about maintaining continuity and balance. Finland, as well as all modern societies must step into a new era of resilience and overall preparedness, where the digital dimension is recognised and managed at the national level with determination.
Digital resilience: Strategic decisions and collaboration
In terms of digital resilience, society should engage in discussions and make strategic decisions about who will take responsibility and ownership of the digital dimension of resilience. This requires a completely new level of dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors.
As we take steps towards managed, national-level digital resilience, we identify at least these building blocks:
- Citizens need to learn to understand what digital resilience means and its significance for their daily operational capability.
- The development of digital resilience in companies should be systematically supported with business development oriented incentives.
- The ownership of digital resilience must be defined in all modern societies. Ownership should also include resources for development.
- The development of digital resilience should be implemented in sector-crossing managed networks.
- The implementation of digital resilience will require significantly more seamless cooperation between authorities and the private sector in the future.
