How to manage corporate travel safety in turbulent times Because peace of mind should be part of the itinerary Source: Pexels If you’ve glanced at the news lately, you’ll know the world feels anything but steady. Europe continues to grapple with political unrest that can flare into travel disruptions overnight. Wildfires in southern Europe, record-breaking heat in Spain, Italy and Greece and mass displacement from storms and flooding in parts of the continent are making climate risk part of every itinerary. Add in cyber disruptions – such as the August 2024 breach at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport that knocked out display systems and internet access – and the map looks less like a travel brochure and more like a risk register. And yet, business still moves. Deals are signed face-to-face, projects need site visits and conferences remain the lifeblood of entire industries. The question isn’t whether your people will travel; it’s how you’ll keep them safe while they do. This is where corporate travel safety comes in. Not as a checkbox on a compliance form, but as a living part of how companies operate in volatile times. For employees, knowing the business has their back – that someone is tracking developments, offering guidance and ready to respond if things go wrong – is the difference between travelling with confidence and travelling with anxiety. For employers, it’s about protecting more than people: budgets, reputations and even legal standing hinge on how well travel safety is managed. That’s why “duty of care” has become the anchor phrase in travel programmes. It’s not just about insurance policies or emergency hotlines (though those matter). It’s about embedding safety thinking into every step: which hotels are approved, how transport is booked, what alerts are sent out when the unexpected happens. Done right, a travel safety strategy doesn’t slow business down. It clears the path so employees can focus on the meeting, the deal or the work at hand. Below, we’ll unpack what duty of care really means, the risks businesses need to plan for in 2025, and the practical steps that make travel safer without turning every trip into an ordeal. Consider this guide as a toolkit for navigating choppy waters during travel; one that helps your company keep moving forward without leaving your people exposed. Duty of care: what it really means 2 Corporate travel risks in 2025 4 Corporate travel safety tips 6 How a corporate travel management company makes it easier 9 Why corporate travel safety is strategy 11 Duty of care: what it really means “Duty of care” sounds like legal jargon, but at its core it’s simple: companies have a responsibility to look after their people when they’re travelling for work. Not just because regulators or lawyers say so, but because employees are the ones keeping the business moving. If they don’t feel safe, the whole system wobbles. Duty of care has three overlapping layers: Legal – many countries have explicit requirements that employers protect staff health and safety, including when they’re abroad. If an incident occurs and a company can’t show it took reasonable precautions, the consequences can range from lawsuits to regulatory fines. Ethical – businesses ask employees to step onto planes, trains and into cities they may not know. There’s a moral obligation to make sure that isn’t an unnecessary gamble. Cultural – in practice, how you treat travelling staff sends a message. Do you see them as assets to be protected, or costs to be managed? Employees notice. Regulators are sharpening their stance too. In the UK, the Health and Safety at Work Act has been interpreted to apply to staff abroad, while in the U.S., OSHA guidance highlights employer responsibility for travel-related risks. But compliance is only half the picture. Today’s workforce, especially younger employees, expect proactive safety measures as part of company culture, not just a checkbox exercise. When duty of care is visible in daily practice, it builds trust. When it isn’t, it erodes confidence fast. What good duty of care looks like At a minimum, it means covering four bases: Risk assessment – before a trip even begins, companies should identify potential threats. Is there political unrest in the destination? Are there known health risks, extreme weather patterns or security concerns? This isn’t scaremongering – it’s preparation. Communication – employees should know who to call, and managers should know where their people are. Real-time alerts, itinerary sharing and emergency contacts matter more than glossy policy PDFs. Emergency support – whether it’s a missed connection or a major disruption, support has to be fast and reliable. That might mean a 24/7 travel desk, local ground partners or pre-arranged evacuation plans. Insurance – comprehensive cover that goes beyond lost luggage. Medical emergencies, cancellations and crisis assistance should be built in, not added as an afterthought. When duty of care breaks down Unfortunately, it often takes a crisis to highlight what’s missing. Consider companies that send staff abroad without visibility on their location. When protests erupt or a natural disaster strikes, managers are left guessing: Who’s there? Are they safe? How do we reach them? That delay in response can turn a manageable situation into a reputational disaster. Beyond reputation, there’s legal exposure: ISO 31030 sets out clear standards for travel risk management, and regulators are increasingly willing to penalise employers who fall short ISO 31030:2021. Or think of employees who find themselves stranded after a cancelled flight, with no support line to call and only a reimbursement form waiting weeks down the line. Technically the company may pay them back eventually, but in the moment, it feels like abandonment. Source: Pexels Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce? Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce. Request a Demo Why culture matters as much as compliance A..