On Thursday November 3rd, Bournes Relocation Solutions hosted an interesting and informative event centred around the topic of safety and security on international assignment.
Held at the prestigous offices of Lloyd's Register in London, the event highlighted the increasing importance of safety and security for assignees moving abroad.
Today's world is tough; the rising threat of terrorism coupled with geopolitical instability and many other complex socio-economic issues means that now, more than ever, assignees need to be aware of the safety and security issues of the country they are moving to, and be able to plan what they would do in the event of a 'worst-case scenario'.
In the first half of the afternoon session, our guest speaker, Simon Giddins and Harry Chenevix-Trench of private security specialists Blackstone Consultancy, addressed some of the safety and security threats assignees are now faced with and ways in which they and their employers can be prepared for their relocation with safety in mind.
Simon provided a valuable insight into some of the issues assignees may not always consider when moving abroad. His wealth of knowledge - from time working in the military and alongside counterterrorism units in the UK - provided some incredibly interesting insights into safety and security for assignees. Far from being complicated, Simon suggested that assignees need to look at the simple things they can do to increase their safety and security on assignments - things like researching the country they are going to thoroughly; becoming familiar with the area they are moving to and the customs, traditions and acceptable behaviours; learning as much of the local language as possible; being aware of the 'no-go' zones; knowing who to speak to if or when help is needed and trying to pinpoint any 'atmospherics' - large-scale festivals or celebrations only a local would be aware of and prepared for.
The second half of the session was dedicated to a panel discussion, chaired by Helen Brabbs with special guests special guests Kerry Higgins (Group Global Mobility Manager, Lloyds Register), Vanessa Forbes (HSES Global Operations Manager, Lloyds Register), James Holder (Director, Expat Academy), Viv Mott (Head of Global Mobility, Aviva), Matthew MacLachlan (Head of Intercultural and Communication Skills Training, Communicaid) and Rob Saunders (Health and Safety Director, Arup). Questions from the audience and Bournes clients raised further important topics, with our panel speakers touching on subjects like who's responsibility it is to ensure an assignees safety and security on assignment; whether a safety briefing is needed for every country of relocation; how global mobility has changed in response to the rise in terrorism and whether relocation strategies have changed because locations have become more dangerous in recent years.
Did you miss this event?
Don't worry! We've put together an event pack for you to download containing all the content from the event including the presentation from Blackstone Consultancy and the key take-aways from the panel discussion.
Future Events
Bournes 'Global Working' events bring together experts and practicing global mobility professionals to explore challenges, answer the hard questions and share best practice in Global Mobility. You can register your interest in future Bournes Global Working events here to make sure you're amongst the first to find out about and book your place for upcoming events.
