Business travel risks: What media companies need to know

Media companies’ employees, particularly those who work for news organisations, broadcasters and television production companies, may travel for work to high-risk destinations. In some cases, it’s vital for journalists, television crews and production staff to journey to conflict zones or remote areas to cover news stories or create documentaries. 
 

Of course, travelling to high-risk destinations brings significant risks to the employees involved. But there are some ways that media companies can prepare their colleagues, support them while travelling and ensure that they are protected while abroad. 
 

Risk management for business travel

Media companies are incredibly varied in their risk management maturity because the nature of the industry itself is so varied. Some larger media organisations have more advanced risk management procedures, whereas smaller companies may not. 
 

Whatever the existing level of risk management within a media organisation, assessing the business’s maturity and developing a travel risk management programme in line with the ISO 31030 standard can be a game changer. Establishing a business travel programme also enables media companies to tailor their risk management, security, and HR functions to the specific needs of their employees and their field.
 

At Chubb, we like to form a collaborative tripartite relationship with our insureds and their insurance brokers. This is because business travel coverage performs more effectively with an open line of communication between company, broker, and insurer.

Common business travel risks for people working in the media

There are many business travel risks that all employees, regardless of industry, may experience while travelling. This checklist of the 7 business travel risks that your employees are currently facing outlines the most common.
 

Media companies’ workers may be exposed to additional, more complex, risks while travelling for business. These may include:

• Working in remote or inaccessible locations

• Visiting areas experiencing significant civil unrest or political turmoil, or that are under governmental sanctions

• Accessing places that have experienced or will soon experience natural catastrophes

• Using local guides, translators or fixers who they may not work with regularly

• Becoming a target due to the perceived bias or political affiliation of their news organisation by local citizens
  
   

Business travel risk planning
 

 Risk analysis

Given the above, it’s clear why it is important and necessary for media companies to implement a business travel risk management plan to meet their duty of care to employees. Part of the risk management process should be to undertake comprehensive risk analyses for employees’ proposed trips, particularly if these trips are to remote or high-risk destinations.
 

Risk analysis could include:

• How to maintain contact with an employee at all times, e.g. do they need to take a satellite phone

• If they are in a high-risk area, will they need armed guards or to travel in armed convoys

• What accommodation should they be situated in; do they need to stay within an embassy compound or on a military base

• Will they require translators or local guides

• How will they travel around; do they require local drivers

• If they require medical treatment, how would they be located and treated
  
   

Online tools

There are online tools that media companies can use to help with their duty of care obligations to their employees. Chubb Travel Smart is an award-winning app and online portal designed to assist employees when they are travelling, enable their employers to be able to track them in case of emergency, and provides pre-travel training for both employers and travelling colleagues.
 

The Travel Smart app pushes location-based risk notifications to travellers’ phones and helps them to locate medical assistance and security support. Using the desktop dashboard, media companies can locate their employees in emergencies and even see how much phone battery they have – a useful tool to have when their colleagues in remote areas may have varied access to electricity. 
 

Summary

With forward planning and a business travel risk management programme, media companies can ensure that they are meeting their duty of care to employees. By establishing a clear line of communication between organisation, broker, and insurer, media companies can access Chubb’s robust business travel coverage, including our Travel Smart app, to ensure that their employees are protected while abroad.

In addition to business travel cover, Chubb’s Technology & Media Industry Practice offers a bespoke insurance product for media companies, with modular sections for Media Liability, Cyber, Property and Casualty risks. This is supported by a dedicated team across underwriting, risk engineering and claims who specialise in media risks. Chubb’s global presence enables us to provide global media insurance solutions where required. Contact us today to discuss how your clients could benefit.