Part 1 By David Suomi

Evaluating Your Responsibility: Protecting Your Employees & Organization with Proper Planning

An estimated 1.3 million business trips occur each day just within the United States^*. Now, add to this the fact that International travel is growing rapidly each year as organizations realize the importance of having an on-the-ground presence. However, with that presence also comes risk. If your organization has employees who travel internationally, their safety must be a top priority, which makes having a good travel risk management policy even more important.

I've been working in the nonprofit industry for over 25 years and have witnessed first-hand the growth of international travel. It's an exciting time for businesses and industry to build cross-cultural programs, relationships and close deals.

Has your organization discussed Duty of Care and a travel risk management policy associated with employees' international travel? If not, now is the time. TDS has a comprehensive business travel safety checklist that organizations can tailor to meet their needs. We encourage clients to use this checklist to begin the dialogue with their legal and risk assessment departments and to create a policy that protects both traveler and organization.

Business travel safety checklist with basic questions to consider as your organization and employees prepare for travel:

•   Is your organization up-to-date on all security advisories for the countries to which your employees travel?
  For a list of updated alerts and warnings, click here.

•   Does your employee have proper documentation (visa, passport)? Is their passport valid for more than six months?

•   Has your organization created a TDS Document Profile Locker for each traveling employee?
  Safely store copies of your employees' travel documentation (passports, visas, health certificates) in a Document Profile Locker that can be accessed virtually from anywhere in the world in the case of an emergency.

•   Is your employee an experienced traveler, or is this their first time? Have they traveled internationally before?

•   Is your employee familiar with the local currency?

•   Are there any important customs your employee should be familiar with upon arriving at their international destination?

TDS has been assisting companies prepare for international travel for over 30 years, and this business travel safety checklist is just the start. Contact us today to discuss your visa and U.S. passport needs and consider creating Document Profile Lockers for all of your travelers. Not only will your employees' documentation be stored safely in one place, travel managers will have access to an organized library of travel documents. No more guessing which employee's paperwork is up-to-date. With Document Profile Lockers, you'll be notified when an employee's stored documentation is about to expire. TDS also has a network of International Security Partners who can help your organization devise a comprehensive travel program and travel risk management policy. Organizations that are proactive in planning for - and alleviating - risks when employees travel are organizations that will prosper in today's international marketplace.

David Suomi is an executive with over 25 years experience in the international nonprofit and humanitarian sector. Working with TDS, David helps clients understand their exposure and advises them on how to educate their employees and assignees to reduce that exposure.David helps organizations define their travel philosophy, devise travel risk management policies, and create processes for ensuring their employees are fit for international business travel. He also works with organizations to assist them in completing their due diligence, while protecting themselves against any risk as it relates to travel. Specialties include Duty of Care/risk management, security programs, and training. Any organization, no matter what size, should have a Travel Policy. Contact TDS today to discuss how to create a robust travel policy that scales to your organization's size.

* Source: https://www.creditdonkey.com/business-travel-statistics.html