September 11, 2012, The International SOS Foundation, in conjunction with the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), is holding a forum in Singapore to explore the way forward for Duty of Care in Asia.

The event aims to address issues brought forth earlier this year at the Foundation’s inaugural forum in Cancun, Mexico. During this forum, there was a consensus that the Duty of Care for employees working away from home is a crucial occupational health issue. A call was raised for leaders and industry experts to develop an international guidance based on national legislation and practices across the globe.

The forum in Singapore will seek to address how the occupational health and safety community can develop and promote an international guidance on Duty of Care, as well as demonstrate its ‘return on prevention’*. These efforts’ primary aim is to protect the health and safety of employees which in turn leads to improved business performance and growth.

The forum will focus on three key areas:

• A call for an international guidance
  Dr. Jukka Takala, Executive Director, Workplace Safety and Health Institute, Singapore said, “With increasing globalisation, more and more individuals are working further afield and are exposed to risks that can impact their health, security and safety. It is therefore crucial that we provide an international guidance to help companies better understand the risks, encourage prevention and improve people’s wellbeing, ultimately to protect and save lives.”
• Return on Prevention
  Marc De Greef, Executive Director, Prevent, Belgium said, “Organisations are increasingly expanding operations and staff numbers in Asia. Companies can no longer afford to run the moral and financial risk of neglecting their Duty of Care obligations. Establishing a strong Duty of Care programme is not just ‘the right thing to do;’ health and wellness programmes in the workplace increase a firm’s ability to attract and retain employees, resulting in lower turnover of headcount and improved productivity, all of which add to stronger business performance.”
• Creating a global repository of information on Duty of Care
  Dr. Olivier Lo, Group Medical Director, Occupational Health Services, International SOS, Singapore said, “It is crucial to inform and educate governments, employers, workers and contractors on the importance of Duty of Care and on the ways that the risks associated with international travel and/or assignment can be mitigated. With the insights gained from events like this one, we can work towards assimilating information, applicable on an international scale, to guide for companies in fulfilling their Duty of Care obligations..“

The importance of a new way forward for Duty of Care in Asia is indicated in a recent International SOS survey, which found that Asia ranks behind most of the world when it comes to Duty of Care, excluding the Middle East and North Africa.

Singapore scored significantly higher than all other Asian countries surveyed around Duty of Care, and above the worldwide baseline. The results of International SOS’s Asia benchmarking survey highlight inter-regional health and safety differences and the need for education and reform. Having scored highly within the survey, Singapore is paving the way for Asia to follow, and this event is a great step towards delivering this.

*Return on Prevention: Aims to demonstrate the return on investment on preventative measures in the area of Duty of Care.

Duty of Care: The Way Forward

Held in concert with the Workplace Safety and Health Council, panellists, leaders and industry experts will speak at the forum on Tuesday, September 11 at 3.00 PM at Pan Pacific Singapore. Speakers will include:

Welcome

• Dr. Jukka Takala, Executive Director, Workplace Safety and Health Institute, Singapore
• Dr. Pascal Rey-Herme, Group Medical Director, International SOS, Singapore

Panellists

• Dr. Jukka Takala, Executive Director, Workplace Safety and Health Institute, Singapore
• Michele Patterson, President, International Association of Labour Inspectors, Australia
• Marc De Greef, Director General, Prevent, Belgium
• DongChan Kim, Senior Manager, International Cooperation, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), Republic of Korea
• Dr. Olivier Lo, Group Medical Director, Occupational Health Services, International SOS, Singapore
• Dr. Philippe Guibert, Regional Medical Director, Consulting Services, International SOS, Singapore

Moderator

• Dr. David Gold, Senior Consultant, International SOS Foundation and Founder & Managing Director, Gold-Knecht Associates, Switzerland

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About the International SOS Foundation

Established in 2011, the International SOS Foundation ― Ambassadors for Duty of Care www.internationalsosfoundation.org – has the goal of improving the safety, security, health and welfare of people working abroad or on remote assignments through the study, understanding andmitigation of potential risks. The escalation of globalization has enabled more individuals to workacross borders and in unfamiliar environments; exposure to risks which can impact personal health,security and safety increases along with travel. The foundation is a registered charity and was startedwith a grant from International SOS. It is a fully independent, non-profit organization. The Foundationis currently in the process of setting up an experienced, independent governing Board of Trustees tosteer its vision, objectives and future results.

For more information, contact:

Meghan Moran – meghan.moran@fleishman.com – tel +1 202-828-5068

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Inaugural Duty of Care panel debate held together with the International Commission on Occupational Health

March 19, 2012, Cancun, Mexico; today leading medical and security services provider International SOS announced the launch of the International SOS Foundation, a first-of-its-kind global effort to foster the study and adoption of Duty of Care best practices The foundation’s goal is to improve the safety, security, health and welfare of people working abroad through research that will help companies, governments, non-profits, universities and other entities understand and mitigate potential risks to their global workforce. In doing so, it will expand on white papers published by International SOS including the 2011 Duty of Care Global Benchmarking Survey*. The foundation, established with a grant from International SOS, is a fully independent, non-profit organization and has the mission to:

• Study and provide information to governments, employers, workers and contractors on health, safety and security risks linked to international and remote assignments.
• Encourage the development of international guidance on the prevention and mitigation of risks associated with working and traveling abroad.
• Work with employers to develop and strengthen their responsibilities of Duty of Care.

Arnaud Vaissié, Chairman and Chief Executive of International SOS and founder of theInternational SOS Foundation comments:“With
the increase of globalization more and more individuals are working further afield and are exposed to risks, which can impact health, security and safety. The foundation aims, through research and analysis, to better understand the risks, encourage prevention and improve people’s well being, ultimately to protect and save lives.”

To commemorate the launch, the International SOS Foundation together with the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) will host a panel discussion and debate at the International Congress on Occupational Health in Cancun on March 19. The panel brings together ahigh-profile group of occupational health leaders to explore the legal, fiduciary and moral responsibilities and obligations that encompass Duty of Care.

Dr. Kazutaka Kogi, President, ICOH and Arnaud Vaissié will open a debate that examines whether the occupational health community should, with its unique understanding, experience and expertise inmanaging health and safety risks, play a leading role in helping organizations fulfill their Duty of Care. Panelists will discuss whether the health community should draw a definitive line from Corporate Social Responsibility to Duty of Care and how international guidance on the issue could beestablished. The panel of experts consists of:

• Dr. P.K. Abeytunga, General Director, Canadian Centre of Occupational Safety & Health
• Dr. Myles Druckman, Sr. Vice President & Medical Director, Americas Region Medical Services
• Dr. John Howard, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Mr. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Secretary General, International Social Security Association (ISSA)
• Dr. Olivier Lo, Medical Director, Group Occupational Health Services, International SOS
• Mr. Subash Ludhra, President, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (UK)
• Jorge A. Morales, Associate Medical Director, Proctor & Gamble, Latin America
• Prof. Jorma Rantanen, Past President, ICOH

Hereafter, the forum will be opened to invited participants from the occupational health community.The forum will be
moderated by Dr. David Gold, Senior Consultant, International SOS Foundationand Founder & Managing Director, Gold-Knecht Associates.

THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL GUIDANCE:

“Trends are beginning to emerge globally between regulatory requirements and industry standards onDuty of Care. In some countries, not all regulations are implemented as an industry standard. Thelack of harmony between regulatory requirements and industry standards lends itself well for thedevelopment of international guidance on Duty of Care, so employers do not have to work in a vacuum,” said Dr. Myles Druckman,Sr. Vice President & Medical Director, Americas Region,regarding the significance of a panel on this topic.

Subash Ludhra, President, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (UK) added:“The businessrisk to an organization due to a medical incident could result in failed assignments, which can becostly in every respect. How an organization responds and protects itself globally will determine theorganizational risk. Duty of Care is a big issue and one that continues to grow.”

*More on the 2011 Duty of Care Global Benchmarking Survey

According to a 2011 Global Benchmarking Survey, more than 628 global organizations felt that Dutyof Care is “everyone’s responsibility”. This includes the occupational health community, who are oftencharged with the overall health and safety of globally mobile employees including international and remote site assignees, international business travelers and others.The study highlights the need for employers to preemptively protect their employees and theirbusiness. Out of the study came the top ten threats to employees, half of which were medical,specifically: illness while on assignment, lack of access to proper medical care, workplace accidents,road accidents and pandemic. For more information or to obtain a full copy of the study, visit http://internationalsosfoundation.org/duty-of-care/.

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About the International SOS Foundation

Established in 2011, the International SOS Foundation ― Ambassadors for Duty of Care www.internationalsosfoundation.org – has the goal of improving the safety, security, health and welfare of people working abroad or on remote assignments through the study, understanding andmitigation of potential risks. The escalation of globalization has enabled more individuals to workacross borders and in unfamiliar environments; exposure to risks which can impact personal health,security and safety increases along with travel. The foundation is a registered charity and was startedwith a grant from International SOS. It is a fully independent, non-profit organization. The Foundationis currently in the process of setting up an experienced, independent governing Board of Trustees tosteer its vision, objectives and future results.

For more information, contact:

Meghan Moran – meghan.moran@fleishman.com – tel +1 202-828-5068

The post Raising Global Standards for Duty of Care appeared first on International SOS Foundation.

Amsterdam – The International SOS Foundation and Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) announce a collaboration to help mitigate road accidents faced by business travellers and expatriates working abroad.

The recently released World Health Organisation ‘Global Status Report on Road Safety’ states that 1.24 million people are killed each year on our roads. This equates to more than 3,300 preventable deaths every day.

The GRSP works in partnership with governments, businesses and civil society to engage in practical and proven interventions to help reduce accidents and deaths on our roads.

Road accidents feature in the top 5 causes* for medical evacuations of travellers, expatriates and assignees. Arnaud Vaissié, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO of International SOS and Chairman of the International SOS Foundation states: “The new partnership fits with our emphasis on Duty of Care and the risk mitigation agenda to help international companies and organisations to reduce costly aeromedical evacuations, many of which are entirely preventable. We aim to work closely with the GRSP to study and understand how to reduce road risks and provide proactive education to global workforces.”

As a leading cause of injury and death for employees working abroad, road safety is an important occupational health and safety issue. Emerging markets and remote locations often can present high endemic road risks to business travellers. Arnaud Vaissié adds: “We have found that business travellers who self-drive in lower risk destinations are prone to traffic accidents as well. Travel fatigue and unfamiliarity with local road rules and driving culture can contribute to incidents.”

Actions planned by the International SOS Foundation and GRSP include developing campaigns and training to educate travellers and expatriates. Assessing and applying road risk ratings for countries and conducting research on road risk prevention are also planned.

“Because road travel is such a common everyday activity, there is a psychological tendency to underestimate the risks involved. Most business travellers believe that their travel risks in many countries are mainly related to minor and obvious causes such as stomach upsets and minor injuries. In fact, out of the yearly 1.4 million assistance cases that International SOS manages globally, we observe that strokes, cardiac arrests and road accidents are major causes of serious medical incidents and, therefore, certainly warrant a preventative approach**,” says Dr Neil Nerwich, Group Medical Director Assistance of International SOS.

Patrick Lepercq, Chairman of the GRSP, adds: “We see a real opportunity to share knowledge, road safety research and best practices with the International SOS Foundation. Examining the road risks faced by business travellers and overseas workers is an area in health and safety which can be developed further. The Foundation is well-placed to partner with multinational businesses and governments to help fulfil our mutual goals.”

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* Journal of Travel Medicine, 2011, Can Business Road Travel Be Safe? Jasminka Goldoni, Laestadius, MD, PhD, Anne Gaelle Selod, MD, Jian Ye, MD, PhD, Lennart Dimberg, MD, PhD,† and Anthony G. Bliss, MD.

** From 2009–2010 International SOS data of 5725 aeromedical evacuations and 94,651 at-risk expatriates

About the International SOS Foundation (www.internationalsosfoundation.org) registered in 2011, is a fully independent, non-profit organisation with the goal of improving the welfare of people working abroad through the study, understanding and mitigation of potential risks. At its inaugural event in Mexico in 2012, there was a consensus that the Duty of Care for employees working away from home is a crucial occupational health issue. A call was raised for leaders and industry experts to develop an international guidance based on national legislation and practices across the globe.

About the Global Road Safety Partnership
The non-profit Global Road Safety Partnership, (www.grsproadsafety.org) was formed in 1999 and its members are leading multi- and bi-lateral development agencies, governments, businesses and civil society organisations. Hosted by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the GRSP creates and supports multi-sector road safety partnerships that are actively engaged with front-line road safety good practice in many countries around the world. GRSP is also engaged globally in road safety advocacy programmes and is a recognised expert source of road safety knowledge and good practice.

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