The Spanish scaleup specialising in the integrated management and advice of business travel offers the keys to
How to implement an effective Duty of Care policy in business Travel
- Employee safety, security and well-being have become the main reasons for companies to professionalise corporate travel.
- Detailed travel reporting, travel alerts, employee tracking, immediate human attention and emergency response management are some of the components that a “duty of care” policy should include.
Madrid, 15 November 2023.- The “Duty of Care” concept is an increasingly important component of a company’s employee protection policy. It consists of the creation of a safe and wellbeing environment for a company’s employees, which is also applied in the planning and execution of business trips.
This is according to the latest report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) on the 5 current trends in business travel. It identifies two components that companies are thinking about in the long term: wellbeing (the importance of employee comfort and peace of mind when travelling) and risk management.
Worker safety and peace of mind, the top priority for companies on business trips
Political instability, natural disasters, health risks, accommodation guarantees and culture shock are some of the aspects that most companies take into account when professionalising their business travel area.
It is essential that companies carry out an exhaustive evaluation of both the country and the risks involved, assessing all the possible scenarios that could occur. Collaboration with specialised business travel professionals and the use of the latest corporate travel management technology play a key role in monitoring the situation in real time and communicating effectively with travellers in the event of an emergency.
From Consultia Business Travel, experts in the integrated management of business travel through their global technology solution Destinux, recommend that a “duty of care” policy that prioritises corporate travel security and has some key components should be properly planned:
Detailed reporting of specific travel: The policy highlights the need for accurate reporting of employees’ itineraries and locations during their travels, enabling an up-to-date record of their activities and location to be maintained. Advances in technology that have enabled the development of travel management software comprise a great ally in achieving this objective, enabling the facilitation and streamlining of processes and the centralisation of all travel management information.
Travel alerts: The company has travel alert systems that automatically notify employees of potential risks or unexpected events in the areas they are visiting, allowing them to make informed decisions.
Employee tracking: Through the combination of non-intrusive tracking technologies and a dedicated team of staff to assist the traveller, the company can have, while respecting their privacy, real-time knowledge of the location of its employees, facilitating a rapid response in case of an emergency.
Immediate personal assistance: The policy must guarantee that employees have access to personal assistance at any time, whether it be for information or help in unexpected situations. Consultia Business Travel has an agreement with SOS International, available for those companies that wish to contract it, which allows them to assist the traveller anywhere in the world if there is an emergency situation.
Management of response to more serious emergencies: The Duty of Care policy should also include clear and detailed protocols for managing more serious emergency situations, such as accidents or natural disasters, including coordination with local authorities and evacuation if necessary.
Consultia Business Travel, with its technological solution Destinux, covers all these needs and has developed a complete guide on Duty of Care, with detailed information ranging from legal and moral responsibilities to all the risks and challenges that can occur in corporate travel.
About Consultia Business Travel
Consultia Business Travel® is a Spanish company specialising in the integrated management of business travel (Travel Management Company). Thanks to Destinux®, its differentiated global solution based on cloud-based software with a personalised advisory service (Personal Travel Assistant), it offers a comprehensive solution for the management of business travel. In addition to managing the needs of meetings, incentives, congresses and events (MICE) that the company needs.
The company, with Spanish capital and founded in 2010, currently has offices in Spain and Portugal and a presence in 7 countries. The Growth Stage startup has integrated into its powerful management system nearly 3 million hotels, more than 600 airlines, 27 car rental companies around the world and private transfers in more than 160 countries, trains, boats and taxis and VTCs in more than 90 states, achieving online connectivity and efficiency that stand out in the business travel market.