Business continuity & operational resilience · Working
Maximum tolerable downtime
Also called: MTD, maximum acceptable outage
ELI5
The longest disruption an organisation can tolerate before impact becomes unacceptable.
Used in conversation
“Keep maximum tolerable downtime on the dashboard, but show the definition and reporting period beside it.”
Pitch context
You will see “Maximum tolerable downtime” in operating plans, procurement packs, supplier reviews and supply-chain reports when the discussion reaches business continuity & operational resilience.
Why it matters: In business continuity & operational resilience, the scope can change what data may be used, who may access it and which controls are required.
Sources & evidence · 4
Direct term-level sources and supporting source families.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossaryDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Productivity programmeDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Acquisition.gov — Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 — Contracting by NegotiationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- UK Government — Groceries Supply Code of PracticeSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16