One in five business travellers in the UK have, or know someone who has, been the victim of crime when travelling for work, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Global Secure Accreditation (GSA).
The survey, which involved more than 1,000 business travellers across the UK, examined aspects of travel risk management and found 78 per cent of respondents were not provided with any information on the safety and security of hotels booked while travelling for business.
A further 82 per cent said they would feel reassured if they knew they were staying in accommodation that had been independently accredited for security and safety.
The findings reflect poorly on duty of care standards across the industry, says GSA, and support a recent study by Business Travel Show Europe regarding a general lack of awareness among travel managers regarding ISO 31030, a global benchmark for travel risk management that was launched in September 2021.
“The regulatory landscape has changed, and the introduction of ISO 31030 has set a new benchmark for duty of care to travelling employees, which includes selecting accommodation that has been independently accredited for its safety and security,” said Brian Moore, operations director at GSA.
“Given the increased concern around business travel post pandemic, it is important companies understand how to mitigate risks and demonstrate how seriously they take the safety and wellbeing of their travelling employees,” Moore added.
In March, GSA launched a new programme that allows companies to have their travel risk management policies assessed against the ISO 31030 standard.
Learn more about what ISO 31030 means for travel buyers by reading BTN Europe’s in-depth feature.