Duty of care: Safeguarding your international workforce

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The landscape of Travel Risk Management and the underlying concept of Duty of Care has transformed in recent years, driven by complex health and security incidents and evolving workplace behaviors. This transformation has increased the pressure on organisations to be ready for a robust response.

In September 2021, the ISO 31030 – Travel Risk Management Guidance emerged as a crucial tool in protecting a global workforce. The primary aim of ISO 31030 is to establish a global best practice framework for organisations to develop, implement, evaluate and review their travel risk management policy and programme, as well as assess and treat travel risks, irrespective of industry or size. This standard is designed to safeguard the health and security of the workforce while minimising associated the financial, operational, legal, and reputational risks of a travelling workforce.

With each country having unique regulation and law concerning Duty of Care, there is a growing necessity for universal guidelines. This need is particularly pronounced in the current climate, characterised by escalating instability and ever-evolving threats.

In the United Kingdom, as in other countries, the concept of Duty of Care expands to the travelling workforce as well as domestic populations. It encompasses the entire spectrum of an employee’s physical and mental wellbeing.

In an interconnected world, deployment of employees to various emerging markets and high-risk locations may be required to expand and thrive. However, this leads to an increasing complexity for an organisation assessing its Duty of Care. How, as an employer operating globally, do you ensure compliance with Duty of Care obligations both domestically and abroad?