The Rising Stakes of Global Mobility: Why Travel Risk Management Must Come First
Business travel is back in full swing, and for companies - from tech startups to film studios with overseas shoots - each trip carries both opportunity and risk. Travel Risk Management (TRM) is the discipline of anticipating and mitigating travel-related risks so your employees stay safe and your business keeps moving forward . Yet many fast-growing companies have not built a formal TRM program, leaving them highly vulnerable to crises that could derail their momentum. This article explains why an ISO 31030-compliant TRM program is critically needed as a foundation for safe growth, and how to build one before the next incident strikes.
What is Travel Risk Management (TRM)?
Travel Risk Management refers to the systematic process of identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risks employees may face during business travel. In practice, TRM is an organization’s duty of care in action - the moral and legal obligation to ensure the health, safety, and security of employees when they travel for work. A TRM program encompasses policies, procedures, and tools to protect traveling staff from threats while maintaining business continuity. This means anticipating everything from a medical emergency or lost passport, to a terrorist attack or natural disaster, and having plans in place to minimize harm and get your people to safety.
A robust TRM program typically includes pre-trip risk assessment and planning, traveler training and briefings, real-time monitoring of threats, 24/7 support or emergency response services, and post-trip incident management and review. It’s about being proactive - not leaving safety to chance - or reacting on the fly once an incident has already happened. Ultimately, TRM enables organizations to fulfill their duty of care and keep employees safe, which in turn protects the company’s operations and reputation . As one travel industry white paper put it: if an employee is injured or falls ill on a trip and the company failed to prepare, the organization could face serious legal, financial, and reputational consequences . In short, TRM is smart risk management and good business.
ISO 31030: The Global Standard for Travel Risk Management
You don’t have to start from scratch when building a travel safety program. ISO 31030 is the internationally recognized standard providing guidance on Travel Risk Management. Published in 2021, ISO 31030 is the first truly global benchmark for managing travel risks and offers a comprehensive framework of best practices . It was developed by experts from around the world to help organizations of all sizes develop, implement, evaluate, and improve their TRM policies and procedures . In essence, ISO 31030 is a roadmap for what an effective TRM program should include.
Building your program around ISO 31030’s guidelines ensures you’re aligning with industry best practices and meeting the expected duty-of-care standard. By following this framework, companies can demonstrate that their travel risk decisions are based on structured risk assessment and mitigation strategies, not guesswork . This is more than theoretical - adhering to recognized standards can offer real protection for the company. For example, understanding and following ISO 31030 helps organizations evaluate whether they are meeting their duty of care to employees during travel . If an incident were to occur, being able to show that your procedures met an international standard could be beneficial evidence that you took reasonable precautions . In contrast, companies that ignore such standards may find themselves exposed in court or under regulatory scrutiny for negligence.
Importantly, ISO 31030 is guidance, not a mandated regulation - but it is quickly becoming the gold standard benchmark. Forward-looking companies treat it as the baseline for their travel risk policies. As security experts note, this standard “provides the foundations, route map and benchmark for travel security programs” worldwide . Using ISO 31030 as your foundation jump-starts the TRM building process: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and you can be confident no major element of travel safety is overlooked. With the standard in hand, a growing company can craft a TRM program that is comprehensive from Day 1, rather than patching together ad-hoc measures.
Rapid Growth = Rapidly Rising Risk Exposure
High-growth companies are often so focused on expansion that travel security lagging behind doesn’t register as an immediate concern - until something goes wrong. But companies without a TRM program, especially those in rapid growth mode, are one unlucky event away from a major crisis. Growth-stage firms tend to send employees to unfamiliar markets, developing countries, or high-risk regions to seize opportunities. Their teams are on the ground setting up new offices, productions, or partnerships. Without a formal risk management plan, these travelers and the company itself are highly vulnerable.
Unfortunately, most organizations today are behind on TRM. A 2023 survey of over 200 C-suite executives worldwide found that only 24% of organizations have a strong travel risk management program in place aligned with the ISO 31030 standard . In other words, three out of four companies admit their travel safety programs have serious gaps. Even more alarming, only 21% of leaders surveyed felt their organization had adequate measures to safeguard traveling employees . This means the vast majority of businesses - likely including many fast-growing companies - are under-prepared and operating on borrowed time before a travel-related incident tests their insufficient safeguards.
Employees sense this vulnerability as well. In a 2023 travel risk survey, most business travelers said they believe their company is responsible for protecting them on trips, yet many felt unprepared to handle emergencies like an accident, illness, or security incident while traveling . This disconnect (“I trust my employer to help me, but I haven’t been trained what to do”) points to underdeveloped TRM policies and training . Rapid growth can exacerbate this gap - new hires are flying out to new markets before the company has developed travel safety orientations or contingency plans. The result is a recipe for disaster: travelers who don’t know how to react, managers who don’t know how to locate or assist them, and leadership caught flat-footed in a crisis.
It’s important to realize that travel risks increase with scale and geography. A business trip to a neighboring city is one thing; sending staff to film in a politically unstable country or to negotiate a deal in a disaster-prone region is another level of risk entirely. As your operations extend abroad, the range of threats multiplies. And even “safe” destinations can turn dangerous overnight due to unforeseen events. Without a TRM program, a growing company is essentially flying blind into hazardous situations. No CEO wants to receive a midnight phone call that an employee has been injured or trapped abroad - and have no plan or resources to respond.
What Risks Does a TRM Program Address?
Business travel exposes employees to a wide spectrum of health, safety, and security risks. A Travel Risk Management program identifies these threats in advance and implements measures to mitigate them. Key risks that an ISO 31030-aligned TRM program covers include:
Health Emergencies and Illness - Travelers can face sudden medical issues (heart attack, food poisoning), infectious disease outbreaks, or lack of access to adequate healthcare abroad . For example, the COVID-19 pandemic showed how quickly a health crisis can shut down travel and strand employees. TRM plans include pre-travel health screenings, required immunizations, access to medical assistance, and evacuation insurance for health emergencies.
Accidents - The most common threat to business travelers is mundane yet deadly: transportation accidents. Road accidents, in particular, are a leading cause of serious injury abroad . Air travel and rail are statistically safer, but once on the ground, employees may be driving in unfamiliar areas or riding with local drivers. TRM efforts focus on safe transport arrangements, driver vetting, enforcing seatbelt use, and avoiding high-risk modes of travel to reduce accident risks.
Natural Disasters & Environmental Hazards - Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, and extreme weather can strike with little warning and devastate an area. Travelers can be caught in these events or their aftermath (power outages, infrastructure collapse). A TRM program monitors weather and geological warnings, has evacuation plans for natural disasters, and informs travelers how to react (e.g. earthquake safety procedures). Environmental risks also include things like poor air quality or non-potable water that can affect traveler health .
Political Unrest and Conflict - Geopolitical instability can erupt into protests, riots, coups, or even war, putting travelers in physical danger or cutting off exit routes . Destinations can shift from business hub to conflict zone quickly (consider events like the Arab Spring or Ukraine crisis). TRM involves tracking State Department travel advisories and intelligence reports. If unrest is likely, travel is postponed or itineraries adjusted. For unavoidable travel, security briefings and emergency rendezvous/evacuation plans are prepared.
Terrorism - The threat of bombings, shootings, or other terror attacks is a real concern in certain regions. High-profile hotels, airports, and public transit are often targets. Business travelers can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. TRM measures include advising travelers on low-profile behavior, varying their routines, and knowing emergency exits. In volatile areas, measures may extend to using armored transport or secure accommodations. Unfortunately, travelers from well-known companies or industries can be attractive targets. In fact, corporate travelers often stand out as wealthier foreigners, potentially drawing the attention of criminals and terrorists .
Crime and Personal Security Threats - This ranges from petty crime (pickpocketing, mugging) to serious violent crimes like assault, carjacking, or kidnapping. In some countries, kidnapping for ransom is a significant risk for foreign businesspeople - an estimated 200 Americans are kidnapped overseas each year by criminal or terrorist groups in regions like Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa . TRM programs mitigate these risks by conducting country-specific threat assessments, using vetted secure transportation and lodging, and training travelers on precautions (e.g. avoiding certain areas at night, using tracked drivers, keeping a low profile). Should the worst happen, a TRM plan will have crisis management and professional hostage negotiation support in place.
Other Risks - Cybersecurity risks (travelers’ devices or data being compromised), fraud (like credit card theft), and compliance risks (employees inadvertently violating local laws or sanctions) can also be covered in a TRM scope. Even reputational risks (a traveler’s misbehavior or cultural faux pas) are worth briefing. A comprehensive TRM program takes a broad view of traveler well-being and the company’s exposure.
By systematically addressing this wide range of risks, a TRM program ensures no major threat is overlooked. These are exactly the types of risks highlighted in the ISO 31030 framework . Your TRM policy should explicitly consider each category and document how the company will prevent or respond to such events. The goal is to minimize the chances of an incident, and to minimize harm if one occurs.
TRM: An Enabler of Safe Expansion, Not a Barrier to Travel
Some executives worry that adding travel risk protocols could slow down business travel or burden their agile teams with red tape. In reality, the opposite is true - a well-designed TRM program is not a travel deterrent, but a travel enabler. It gives your organization the confidence to pursue opportunities in markets that might otherwise be deemed too dangerous, knowing that risks are understood and mitigated.
In fact, one of the stated benefits of ISO 31030 is “enabling business in high-risk locations.” With effective TRM in place, companies can send people to frontier markets or challenging environments that competitors might avoid . Rather than saying “no” to a project in, say, South America or the Middle East due to security concerns, you can say “yes - we have a plan to keep our team safe there.” Far from hindering growth, TRM opens up avenues for safe market expansion.
Additionally, a strong TRM program improves employee confidence in traveling for work . When travelers know their company has their back - providing safety resources, updates, and emergency support - they are more willing to go on trips and less anxious about potential dangers. This peace of mind can make your road warriors more productive and focused on business objectives, not looking over their shoulders. It also sends a message that leadership genuinely cares about staff well-being, which boosts morale and retention.
There are further business advantages. Proactive travel risk management enhances an organization’s reputation and credibility, showing partners and clients that you take security seriously . It also reduces legal and financial exposure by fulfilling duty of care; preventing incidents (or handling them expertly) means avoiding lawsuits, medical bills, ransom costs, or PR crises . In short, TRM is an investment in resilience. It ensures that when disruptions happen - and they inevitably will - your people and your plans stay on track. Companies that treat TRM as optional often learn the hard way that nothing halts business travel faster than a serious incident without a safety net.
Learning from Real-World Failures: The Cost of Neglecting TRM
What’s the worst that could happen without a robust TRM program? Unfortunately, there are plenty of cautionary tales. Consider one real incident: A global company sent employees to a known high-risk country without adequate risk controls. The travelers ended up being detained and threatened at gunpoint over a local dispute . It was a harrowing ordeal - they were effectively held hostage until local police intervened and the company rushed to extract them . In the aftermath, the lack of a proper TRM framework made a bad situation even worse. An internal review found that managers had bypassed the company’s written travel risk process, the travelers had received no pre-trip safety briefing, and there was no system to immediately track their whereabouts when things went wrong . The incident took a severe toll: one employee suffered serious trauma, rumors and blame spread in the organization, and the dedicated travel risk manager (who had been sidelined) eventually resigned under pressure .
This example illustrates how absence of leadership and process in travel risk management can lead to chaos and harm. Not only were the employees’ lives endangered, but the company dealt with fallout ranging from health impacts to internal reputation damage . All of it was avoidable. A properly empowered TRM program would have flagged the destination risk ahead of time, required a security plan and approvals, and prepared the travelers on how to react if trouble arose. Instead, the trip went ahead essentially unchecked, and everyone was left scrambling in crisis mode.
We also saw during the COVID-19 pandemic and other major crises what happens when organizations lack travel risk preparedness. Companies with no traveler tracking or emergency plans in early 2020 struggled to locate and evacuate employees as borders closed. More recently, when conflict suddenly erupted in regions like Eastern Europe or the Middle East, organizations without evacuation protocols found themselves hastily hiring emergency contractors to get their people out . In contrast, those who had invested in TRM were able to react quickly - they knew who was in-country, had contacts on standby to assist, and often avoided tragedy or prolonged disruption.
The lesson is clear: you cannot “wing it” when something goes wrong abroad. Hoping that employees will figure things out on their own, or that local authorities will bail you out, is not a strategy. Every hour of delay or confusion in a crisis can compound the damage. Corporate leaders must internalize that a lack of TRM is a serious liability. The cost of building a TRM program is far smaller than the cost of a single major incident without one - measured in lives, dollars, and brand equity. As the saying goes, “By failing to prepare, you prepare to fail.”
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Need for Tailored Risk Mitigation
Another critical nuance is that travel risk is not monolithic - a skilled TRM practitioner knows that effective risk mitigation must be tailored to the specific traveler and destination. The same trip can carry different risks for different people. For example, an experienced male executive might navigate a city comfortably that a young female employee or an LGBTQ+ employee would find much more hostile. Cultural, identity, and personal factors influence threat levels.
A mature TRM program accounts for individual traveler profiles. ISO 31030 highlights the need to consider “risks to the individual” alongside general destination risks . This means looking at factors like a traveler’s health, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, and even personal behavior. If an employee has a pre-existing medical condition, additional medical precautions or insurance might be arranged. If a destination has laws or social norms hostile to the traveler’s gender or LGBTQ identity, the itinerary or security measures may be adjusted accordingly . A female traveller may receive extra guidance on local dress codes or avoiding situations that could elevate risk . Similarly, someone who doesn’t speak the local language or is unfamiliar with an environment might need a local guide or driver.
This tailored approach is not about discrimination; it’s about protection. Attackers or criminals often target people they perceive as vulnerable or as high-value targets. Unfortunately, that means factors like being a foreigner, appearing affluent, or belonging to certain demographic groups can elevate risk. A savvy TRM program will mitigate these factors - for instance, by choosing hotels in safer areas for a high-profile executive, or ensuring a female traveler has a trusted transport from the airport to avoid predatory taxi drivers. Training is also personalized: an employee who has never traveled abroad will need more orientation (and perhaps a mentor or travel buddy) compared to a road warrior who’s seen it all.
In practice, having a dedicated TRM professional or team is hugely beneficial for this nuance. They can evaluate each trip on its merits: Who is traveling? Where and when? What is the purpose? A trip to film a movie scene in a remote jungle is worlds apart from attending a conference in London - but both could be undertaken safely with the right preparations. The TRM expert’s job is to calibrate the response. They might rate one trip as “low risk, standard protocol” and another as “high risk - require security escort and daily check-ins.” By adjusting the mitigation to the context, you avoid under-protecting some travelers and over-burdening others with unnecessary restrictions. The result is efficient, targeted risk management that keeps people safe without unduly hampering the business mission.
Building a Comprehensive TRM Program: Key Components
Establishing a Travel Risk Management program from the ground up may seem daunting, but breaking it into core components makes the task manageable. Below are the key aspects that every TRM program should cover (all of which align with ISO 31030 guidance):
Travel Risk Assessment & Approval Processes: Before any trip is approved, there should be a risk assessment considering the destination threats and the traveler’s profile. Develop a structured process (often a pre-trip questionnaire or online form) to evaluate risk factors like political stability, crime rates, health advisories, etc., as well as individual-specific risks (health conditions, identity factors) . Based on the assessed risk, determine if the trip is acceptable and what precautions to take. Higher-risk travel might require senior executive sign-off and additional safeguards. The key is that no employee travels to a risky location without leadership awareness and deliberate risk mitigation plans in place - impromptu or rogue business travel is not allowed. This policy must be clearly communicated and enforced so that managers or employees cannot bypass the TRM process .
Traveler Training and Pre-Travel Briefings: An effective TRM program educates your travelers. Provide training on general travel safety (situational awareness, basic first aid, what to do in an emergency) as well as destination-specific briefings for higher-risk locations. Before a trip, employees should receive a concise briefing on the local security, health, and cultural landscape. For example, they should know areas to avoid, how to get help locally, contact info for emergency services and the company’s 24/7 assistance line, and any important do’s and don’ts (such as local laws or customs). In the case study above, one failure was that the inexperienced travelers had no safety briefing and didn’t know how to respond under duress . Don’t assume people will “figure it out” - train them. Even a short pre-trip checklist and safety video can significantly improve a traveler’s preparedness and confidence.
Reliable Travel Monitoring & Traveler Tracking: You can’t protect people if you don’t know where they are. Implement tools or services to track employee itineraries and real-time location (with their consent and knowledge). Many travel management platforms now offer GPS check-in features or integration with booking data to show where travelers are staying and when they fly. At a minimum, maintain an up-to-date travel calendar or registry. This allows your security team to quickly identify who is in or near an affected area when an incident occurs. For example, if an earthquake hits Mexico or protests erupt in Hong Kong, you can instantly pull up which employees (or film crews) are there and verify their safety. Monitoring also includes subscribing to intelligence feeds and alerts (e.g. State Department warnings, security reports) so you get early warning of emerging threats. Communication is critical: have a system (mass text, app, or call tree) to immediately reach out to travelers if something is wrong, and likewise for them to contact help. As ISO 31030 emphasizes, maintaining open communication channels with travelers is essential .
Emergency Response Plans and Incident Management: Despite all precautions, incidents will happen - and when they do, you need a clear, rehearsed plan to respond. Develop an emergency action plan for various scenarios (medical emergency, missing traveler, political evacuation, natural disaster, etc.). This plan should spell out roles and responsibilities: who in leadership and security is the point person, how to assemble a crisis team, and what steps to take (for instance, contacting local authorities, engaging an evacuation service, notifying family, etc.). It’s wise to have an emergency response provider or insurance in place for complex issues like medical evacuations or security evacuations. Practice the plan with tabletop exercises so that when a real crisis hits, your team isn’t figuring out procedures on the fly . Time is of the essence in crises, and everyone should know their role. Also plan for incident management after the fact - debriefs, reports, and improvements. ISO 31030 recommends continuous evaluation and improvement of the TRM program after incidents and periodically even in calm times .
Trusted Vendors and Partner Vetting: A significant part of travel risk mitigation is ensuring the services your employees use are safe and trustworthy. This means vetting travel vendors - airlines, hotels, drivers, local handlers, etc. Don’t leave it to chance which hotel an employee picks in a risky city; have a vetted list of accommodations that meet security criteria (safe neighborhood, good security, fire safety standards). ISO 31030 specifically advises using competent assessors to evaluate accommodation options . Extend vetting to car services, event venues, even airlines (if there are concerns about certain carriers or aircraft). Working with a travel management company or security consultants can help provide vetted options. In contracts, include clauses on safety and security where relevant. Essentially, do your due diligence on any third-party that will be responsible for your employees’ well-being abroad.
Continuous Training and Program Improvement: A TRM program isn’t a one-and-done project - it’s an ongoing effort. Provide regular training refreshers and updates to employees, especially those who travel frequently. Keep executives and managers informed too, so they reinforce the culture of safety. Conduct periodic drills or scenario exercises involving key stakeholders (executives, HR, security, travel, and the travelers themselves) . This keeps everyone’s skills sharp and can reveal gaps to fix. Also, regularly review and update your travel policies. The risk landscape evolves - think how much changed from 2019 to 2021. New threats emerge, and business activities change. Assign someone (chief security officer or travel risk manager) to formally review the TRM program at least annually. Solicit feedback from travelers after trips and after any incidents: What worked? What didn’t? Use that intel to strengthen the program. Measure your program against standards like ISO 31030 to ensure continued alignment with best practices .
By building out these components, a company creates a 360-degree TRM program that covers prevention, monitoring, response, and recovery. It might sound intensive, but resources can be scaled to your operation’s size and risk level. Smaller companies may start with a basic policy, a travel tracking spreadsheet, and a retainer with an emergency assistance firm - that’s far better than nothing. The key is to not delay putting these building blocks in place. Every journey taken without a safety net is a gamble.
Conclusion: Prioritize TRM Before the Crisis Hits
For leaders of growth-stage companies, the message is clear: don’t wait for a crisis to build your Travel Risk Management program. By the time a serious travel incident occurs, it’s too late - you’re in damage control mode with potential lives at stake. Instead, take action now to implement an ISO 31030-aligned TRM program that will protect your people and enable your global growth ambitions. Business travel is a critical enabler of expansion, innovation, and deal-making. But without the proper risk management, it can quickly become a liability that threatens your company’s success.
An effective TRM program is an investment in your company’s resilience and reputation. It ensures you can enter new markets safely, respond to emergencies effectively, and fulfill your duty of care to employees no matter where they roam. Perhaps most importantly, it empowers your workforce - showing them that their safety is a priority and giving them the confidence to drive your business forward around the world.
The companies that thrive in the long run are those that anticipate risks and prepare accordingly. Travel risk management might not have been on your radar in the early startup days, but as you scale, it must become a pillar of your corporate strategy. The high stakes and harsh lessons from real incidents speak for themselves. Don’t learn the value of TRM the hard way. Take the proactive, leadership-driven approach: build your ISO 31030-compliant travel risk management program now, before the next critical incident forces your hand. In doing so, you safeguard your people and pave the way for sustainable growth wherever opportunity calls.
Sources
International SOS - “Understanding ISO 31030 and its Impact on Travel Risk Mitigation.” (James Bird & Dr. Katie Geary) - https://www.internationalsos.com/magazine/understanding-the-new-iso-31030-standard
Everbridge - Press Release: “Only One-Quarter of Surveyed Organizations Have a Solid Travel Risk Management Program.” (April 25, 2023) - https://www.everbridge.com/newsroom/article/everbridge-research-finds-only-one-quarter-of-surveyed-organizations-have-solid-travel-risk-management-program/
Morvillo Abramowitz (Law Firm) - “ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management: Legal Implications and Risks for Organizations.” (2021) - https://static.maglaw.com/docs/MAGLAW_US%20ISO%20FINAL-1.pdf
Berkley Accident & Health - “ISO 31030 - New Guidance for Managing Business Travel Risk.” (2023) - https://www.berkleyah.com/iso-31030-new-guidance-for-managing-business-travel-risk/
GSA Global - “Lessons Learned: When Travel Risk Management Becomes A Blame Game.” (Blog, March 2025) - https://www.gsaglobal.com/blog/lessons-learned-when-travel-risk-management-becomes-a-blame-game
FCM Travel - “Corporate Travel Risk Assessment Checklist.” (2024) - https://www.fcmtravel.com/en-us/resources/insights/corporate-travel-risk-assessment
BCD Travel - “Travel Risk Management: Keeping Business Travelers Safe and Secure.” (Whitepaper, 2015) - https://www.bcdtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/TRM_WhitePaper_v2_160728.pdf
GBTA (Global Business Travel Association) - “Managing Kidnapping Risk.” (Blog, July 20, 2022) -https://www.gbta.org/managing-kidnapping-risk/
