When employees work across borders, duty of care involves risk management beyond the usual health and safety requirements of a familiar environment. As workforces become more mobile, fulfilling duty of care can seem like a daunting task for employers which is made more challenging by the inconsistent standards across the globe. The balance between having reasonable processes in place to protect staff overseas and conducting business in an efficient and profitable manner can sometimes be difficult. As western companies seek to capitalise on increased consumer demand from emerging markets, it is many of these perceived high growth areas that are also deemed to be at high risk of terrorism, disease and riots.

Threats faced could range from theft of confidential and sensitive information, bribery, sexual assault to the more widespread and unpredictable issues of terrorism, political upheaval, infectious diseases, and natural disasters, all of which increase the risk to the business traveller and in so doing the potential liability of the employer. The future suggests an increase in corporate & scholastic travel with many organisations venturing to destinations outside of their historic territory. As new but unfamiliar destinations open up, organisations must now evaluate whether their duty of care policies and procedures are still adequate for the regions in which they operate. Many organisations are still unclear as to the scope of their liability regarding duty of care.

Duty of care is not an ethical concern but a legal obligation which is embedded in workers compensation laws in the UK and can extend as far as the dependents of international assignees. By protecting your employees, your most valuable asset, you are protecting your business, financial and reputational risks. By attending this conference, delegates will be able to hear the latest advice on risks posed to workers travelling overeseas and assess whether their own in-house travel and risk procedures are up to date. Delegates will be able to ensure they adequately understand the legal implications and liabilities of managing overseas workers and that they are meeting their Duty of Care requirements. The conference will provide an excellent opportunity to network with peers, swap ideas and best practice and meet face to face the technology providers who are offering solutions in this area.