The geopolitical landscape has shifted seismically in recent years. With crises constantly erupting in various corners of the world, corporations are realising they need watertight plans to protect their travelling employees.
Ensuring personnel safety abroad is far from impossible, but it requires real commitment. Here are some vital considerations for corporations looking to mitigate travel risks in today’s turbulent climate.
Keep updated with global affairs
Outdated risk assessments focus only on factors like crime, natural disasters and government stability and are no longer enough. In our interconnected world, geopolitics increasingly dictates the future of international commerce, so it’s now critical to grasp the historical grievances and powder keg tensions that could ignite future crises. Look at the situation in Gaza – what began as a local conflict has grown into a regional crisis disrupting vital Red Sea shipping routes. Appreciating the complex web of relations between state and non-state actors allows organisations to anticipate and plan for emerging dangers.
To safeguard modern business travellers, companies must build a nuanced understanding of shifting geopolitical power dynamics worldwide.
Identifying risk factors at every journey stage is paramount for traveller safety. Key questions include: “Which airlines and suppliers are the safest?” “Is anyone travelling somewhere they shouldn’t?” and “Where exactly are my employees?”. As part of our travel risk management partnership, we conduct comprehensive risk assessments to classify threats and mitigations.
Tools like Rennies BCD Travel’s Risk Map and third-party providers like iSOS also give crucial insights into political instability hotspots and cross-border access challenges and provide ongoing updates to ensure all stakeholders remain aware of developing risks.
Get Personal
Broad classifications of “high-risk” or “low-risk” countries are overly simplistic in today’s nuanced geopolitical reality. Assessing individual employee risks thoroughly before overseas assignments allows companies to limit risk exposure.
Working alongside specialist firms to flag any circumstances that could lead to detainment or aggravation is crucial for maximising safety. With this tailored approach, organisations can deploy appropriately vetted personnel to higher-risk regions rather than simply writing them off as no-go zones.
By way of example, a global tech client tasked us with flagging all proposed travel to their designated high-risk countries for additional approval. We integrated their Online Booking Tool with their Risk Management Solution via Single Sign-On, automatically feeding all online and offline bookings into the same monitoring pipeline. Our reporting system updated the client’s security platform every 20 minutes to ensure compliance. For any trips needing special clearance, our team coordinated with the client’s security staff to resolve issues like missed ticketing deadlines without disrupting travel plans.
Be prepared
Proactive planning is no longer a bonus; it’s essential. Future-proof your business by anticipating both common and unforeseen disruptions. Reinforcing basic principles like communication, ability to respond, and assets in and around the crisis zone—is integral to protecting a company’s people and infrastructure, especially since these principles can be applied to almost any emergency.
Strong communication, rapid response capabilities, and efficient utilisation of resources are fundamental principles that will provide support to you in any crisis. Make no mistake, in our unpredictable world, change is constant—and planning for resiliency is key to ensuring the safety of employees, assets and infrastructure.
Join forces with a trusted partner
Having a trusted travel management partner can be invaluable. At Rennies BCD Travel, we understand the complexities of navigating the ever-evolving geopolitical landscape and the critical importance of protecting your travelling employees. Our travel risk management solutions are designed to provide you with a comprehensive approach to traveller safety, combining cutting-edge technology, expert analysis, and tailored risk mitigation strategies.
Through our partnership, we offer proactive risk assessments, real-time monitoring of global events, and prompt communication of emerging threats. Our expert team works closely with you to develop robust contingency plans, ensuring your travellers are equipped with the necessary information and support to navigate potential crises effectively.
We are committed to delivering peace of mind and confidence, empowering your organisation to conduct business globally while prioritising the well-being of your most valuable asset – your people. Contact us today to learn more about how we can safeguard your travellers and ensure business continuity, no matter what challenges arise.