CASE STUDY: Seven key points for a travel risk strategy

Masterclass tips to help travel managers look after their travellers

15 April 2015

Jens Greiner prepared travel for soldiers in the army before turning his knowledge and economics qualifications to a head of security role at Schott. Business Travel iQ reports from Jen's Masterclass at the Pre-Business Travel Show Hosted Buyer Conference and shares his top points to remember when it comes to implementing a risk management strategy.

1. Risk management involves a lot of departments. It's important to bring together stakeholders from relevant areas including legal, insurance, travel, security, HR, medical, your CEO and travel management company. Look for ambassadors within the company too; frequent travellers will naturally be keen to welcome any additions.

2. Create a 'Coalition of Willing' to spearhead a programme. An initiator, playmaker, sponsor and ambassador/s can form a committee from the previously-mentioned departments to arrange the strategy.

3. Understand duty of care from a local background. Travellers will face different challenges depending on which country they visit, but also the risk will vary with which country they are also travelling from. Some in the audience said they would send people of the same national or ethnic background to matched countries to reduce the risks. They would still have the same duty of care and security, but have the benefit of knowing local customs, traditions or perhaps language.

4. All colleagues are equal and deserve to be looked after the same way.

5. Where does duty of care begin and end? Tracking your travellers is key and all those in the session room used a method of sorts to see where its travellers are. At Schott security levels vary depending on the risk level of the destination the traveller is visiting and pre-trip preparation is vital. If the traveller decides to turn off any tracking, it's yet unclear on the legalities should anything happen to that untracked person.

6. Should the manslaughter act go global? Jen believes a global baseline needs to be set that provides a minimal comparable for the industry.

7. Communication is vital. "Travellers need to be honest and open if they do not feel safe being or going somewhere," said Jen. "It's also good to communicate successes through your intranet, newsletter or other platforms."