INSIGHT
Checklist: Safety & risk tips for managed events
When you’re arranging a meeting or event, the safety of your attendees and team is paramount. We asked our Meetings & Events team around the world for one of their top tips for managing safety and risk for event travel. If you would like to download a pdf copy of these tips, you can do so here.
Gabriella Antoniotti
Head of Operations, FCM Meetings & Events - Americas
Event organizers have a responsibility to establish effective communication channels for attendees in case of unforeseen circumstances. Timely updates during the event can also make attendees feel more informed and secure, thus enhancing overall safety measures.
A mobile app is an excellent tool for event organizers to establish clear communication channels for attendees. The app can provide real-time updates, emergency contact information, and two-way communication functionality to ensure attendees' safety and information dissemination.
Melanie Morris
Team Manager, FCM Group Travel UK
For corporate group travel and event planners, duty of care and risk management is an obligation to a standard of care that a business has to its employees and those they are managing travel for. When an individual travels on behalf of a company, appropriate travel procedures and policies need to be in place and clearly understood.
It is essential to anticipate potential risks, implement preventative measures, and have a plan in place to respond quickly and effectively to any emergency that may arise during travel. In order to be successful, all group organizers must have an extensive check list that includes these core areas.
Katie Fraser
General Manager, Operations, FCM Meetings & Events Australia
When moving large numbers of your workforce in and out of one destination at the same time, it's important to think about how many people you have on any given flight. What level of risk are you comfortable with should something happen?
Being strategic about decisions on wider arrival and departure windows, flight allocations, and number of people per team or department on each flight, all play an important role in managing duty of care.
Mélanie Marchand
Head of Meetings & Events and Groups - France & Spain
Anyone attending an event should anticipate and inform themselves before and during a trip, to control the risks associated with travel and activities as part of a corporate event. For organizers, a risk assessment is essential of routes, accommodation and venues, taking into account risks such as:
- Geopolitical - internal conflicts, demonstrations, strikes, destinations with a high crime rate, etc.
- Meteorological - earthquake and cyclone warnings, etc.
- Health - food to avoid, drinking or non-drinking water, etc.
- Physical - recommendations for the equipment needed at the destination.
To be prepared for the above, teams would require a security tracker which activates alert notifications and updates geolocation information in real-time via mobile.
Manpreet Bindra
Meetings & Events Leader – Asia
Managing safety and risk is about preparation. As well as risk assessments, organizers must consider pre-travel requirements for attendees, such as
- All event participants must have adequate travel insurance coverage, including medical and trip cancellation insurance.
- Pre-travel briefings to participants about local customs, emergency contacts, medical support and planned itinerary.
Louise Ekeberg
Head of Meetings & Events – Nordics
It is important that event planners are prepared for emergencies. To do that, you must first understand the risk tolerance at your organization, starting by creating a list of possible risks. Rate each of the risks by how severe they are, and how likely they are to happen.
Then I would advise developing a contingency plan for the top-priority risks, together with your event stakeholders and suppliers. Once written, go through the contingency plan step-by-step to check it will work in practice, and to identify any gaps you may have missed.