What Is Duty of Care And Why It Matters When Employees Travel

When your people travel for work, you’re not just managing logistics, you’re taking on responsibility for their safety. That’s duty of care: your legal and moral obligation to protect employees from harm.

Whether someone is attending a conference in London or conducting field work in Nairobi, your organization is expected to:

• Anticipate potential risks
• Provide support before, during, and after travel
• Respond quickly when something goes wrong

And that’s exactly where ISO 31030 comes in.

ISO 31030: The Blueprint for Travel Risk and Responsibility

ISO 31030 is the international standard for travel risk management. While it’s not legally mandatory, it’s fast becoming the go-to framework for organizations that take employee safety seriously.

At its core, ISO 31030 gives you a step-by-step guide to:

• Identify and assess travel risks
• Prepare travelers with information and training
• Support them during emergencies
• Continuously improve your risk processes

It helps you prove that you’re doing what’s “reasonable and responsible”—two words every legal team loves to hear.

How ISO 31030 Supports Your Duty of Care (With Real-World Examples)

Here’s how ISO 31030 helps fulfill specific duty of care responsibilities:

1. Risk Assessment Before Departure

Before any trip, ISO 31030 recommends evaluating:

• Destination threats (political, health, environmental)
• Traveler-specific vulnerabilities (age, experience, health needs)
• Local regulations and entry requirements

Example:
Before sending an employee to Turkey during an election period, your team identifies potential civil unrest and delays travel and then increases local support.

2. Traveler Awareness and Briefings

Employees need to know more than their flight number. ISO 31030 emphasizes training and briefings, including:

• Cultural awareness
• Local laws
• Emergency protocols
• Health and vaccination requirements

Example:
A consultant traveling to the UAE is briefed on attire expectations and customs regulations. That knowledge prevents accidental legal trouble.

3. Live Alerts and Real-Time Intelligence

Duty of care doesn’t stop when the plane lands. ISO 31030 promotes ongoing awareness through:

• Destination monitoring
• Real-time alerts for local disruptions
• Security notifications (natural disasters, protests, crime surges)

Example:
Your employee in Paris receives an alert about a transit strike, helping them adjust their plans and stay safe before chaos unfolds.

4. Traveler Tracking and Check-ins

Knowing where your people are is critical. ISO 31030 recommends:

• GPS-based traveler tracking (with consent)
• Scheduled or triggered safety check-ins
• Escalation procedures if someone goes silent

Example:
A traveler misses a check-in after an earthquake in Peru. Your team is automatically alerted and initiates a wellness check.

5. Emergency Support and Escalation Plans

If something goes wrong, time is everything. ISO 31030 guides organizations to:

• Establish emergency communication channels
• Provide access to medical, legal, and security resources
• Define who makes decisions during crises

Example:
When an employee is injured abroad, your response team coordinates with local hospitals and medical evacuation providers – fast.

6. Post-Trip Review and Continuous Improvement

After the trip, ISO 31030 recommends a review:

• What went well?
• What could have been handled better?
• Are policies or protocols outdated?

Example:
After receiving feedback that hotel safety was below standard, your travel program updates its accommodation vetting process.

Why Duty of Care Is a Business Priority; Not Just a Legal One

Duty of care is about more than avoiding lawsuits.

Companies that prioritize employee safety benefit from:

• Higher employee trust and retention
• Reduced travel disruption and downtime
• Stronger ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) posture
• Competitive advantage in hiring and partnerships

ISO 31030 helps you systematize these efforts so nothing falls through the cracks.

How to Get Started with ISO 31030

If you’re new to travel risk management or unsure how to begin, here’s a simple path:

1. Audit your current policies
2. Identify risk gaps
3. Assign a travel risk owner (or team)
4. Implement traveler tracking and alerting tools
5. Train employees and run test scenarios

You don’t need to do it all at once, but every step makes your people safer.

Final Thoughts: Safety Builds Trust

Duty of care isn’t just a legal checkbox. It’s about showing your people that their lives matter more than just their output.

ISO 31030 gives you the tools to back that promise with action.

And in a world full of uncertainty, that kind of responsibility is a competitive edge.

Want to strengthen your duty of care program with ISO 31030?
Talk to Sitata about real-time alerts, location monitoring, geofencing, scheduled check-ins, chat-first assistance with telehealth, and evacuation services built around this global standard.