Asia respondents perceive illness, infectious disease and political unrest as lower risk compared to respondents in Europe, North America and Africa
BEIJING, July 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- International SOS, the leading global medical and security services company, today announces the results of its Asia based benchmarking study into the level of care organisations provide employees, and the level of awareness and moral obligation of the Duty of Care concept amongst employers.
An employer's 'Duty of Care' refers to the obligation of an organisation to assume responsibility for protecting its employees from risks and threats when working around the world. More than 600 global companies, 15 per cent of which are headquartered in Asian countries, were included in the research (1). The survey found Asia ranks behind all other regions in most Duty of Care benchmarking scores, excluding the Middle East and North Africa region.
Overall, Asia achieved 60 percent in the Duty of Care risk management model, compared with the worldwide average of 63 percent. India, China and Indonesia were ranked the top three high risk countries. Pandemics and flooding were perceived as higher risks compared to illness or political unrest. Asia respondents perceive Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sri Lanka among the top 20 high risk countries, yet these countries do not make the worldwide list.
International SOS has partnered with Chinese government agencies since 2006. By appointing International SOS as their partner, they have recognized that significant risks exist for their global workforces when they work and live abroad. Over the years, International SOS has assisted Chinese government agencies with their employees' medical challenges, and facilitated treatment and evacuations from countries such as Ghana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Brunei.
John Williams, Managing Director at International SOS China explains, "Organisations are increasingly expanding operations and staff numbers in Asia and companies can no longer afford to run the moral and financial risks of neglecting Duty of Care obligations. Establishing a strong Duty of Care program is not just 'the right thing to do,' health and wellness programs in the workplace increase a firm's ability to attract and retain employees, resulting in lower headcount turnover and improved productivity, all of which add to healthier business performance."
NOTE TO EDITOR
About International SOS
International SOS (www.internationalsos.com) is the world's leading medical & security services company operating from over 700 sites in 76 countries with 10,000 employees, led by 1,100 physicians and 200 security specialists.
Our global services include medical and risk planning, preventative programs, in-country expertise and emergency response for travelers, expatriates and their dependents of over 70 percent of the Fortune 500 companies.
About the Report Author
Dr. Lisbeth Claus, Ph.D, SPHR, GPHR, professor of global human resources at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management of Willamette University in Oregon (USA) developed the Duty of Care and Travel Risk Management Benchmarking Study. Dr. Claus is a Belgian national and a former president of SHRM Global, previously the International Section of the Society for Human Resource Management.
(1) The International SOS Duty of Care and Travel Risk Management Global Benchmarking Study surveyed 718 respondents from 628 global organizations on international travel issues and challenges faced by business travellers, international assignees and their families. The Asian report compares responses from 168 employees who work in Asia against the remaining responses from the Global Benchmarking Study. Both reports considered perceived high-risk locations, risks and threats faced by employees, awareness by company and industry stakeholders and departments, decision-making processes within companies, and legal and moral obligations.
