Duty of care: how to keep employees safe on business trips

A flight cancelled in the middle of the night, a strike at the destination, a health problem far from home, a storm that closes the airport. When an employee is traveling for work, the company is still responsible for them. That is what the term duty of care sums up: the company’s obligation to look after the health, safety and well-being of those who travel on its behalf.

In this article, we explain what duty of care means in corporate travel, why it matters and how to put it into practice in your company.

What duty of care is

Duty of care is the company’s responsibility to prevent risks and support employees during business trips. It applies before the trip (planning and guidance), during it (monitoring and assistance) and after it (return and review of what happened).

In practice, it means being able to answer three questions at any time: where are our travelers, are they safe and how do we reach them if something happens?

Why duty of care matters

• Legal responsibility: in Brazil, social security law treats an accident suffered on a business trip as a work accident (Law 8,213/1991). Companies need to show that they took preventive and support measures, and similar obligations exist in many other countries.
• People’s safety: the unexpected happens, and what makes the difference is how fast you respond.
• Productivity: travelers who feel supported work better.
• Reputation and retention: employees value companies that look after them, and a badly handled incident can turn into a crisis.
• Costs: acting quickly avoids larger expenses with extra nights, last-minute changes and medical bills.

Main risks in corporate travel

• Flight cancellations and delays, missed connections and overbooking.
• Health problems, accidents and the need for medical care.
• Weather events, natural disasters and airport closures.
• Strikes, protests and political instability at the destination.
• Theft or loss of documents, luggage and equipment.
• Fatigue caused by exhausting schedules, red-eye flights and long drives.

How to apply duty of care in your company

1. Include it in the travel policy

The policy should state how the company protects travelers: mandatory insurance, rules for high-risk destinations, limits on working hours (for example, no long drives after an overnight flight) and the emergency procedure. See how to create a corporate travel policy.

2. Centralize bookings

When each employee books on their own, the company does not know who is traveling, where to or on which flight. With bookings centralized through an agency or a self booking tool, itineraries are recorded and travelers can be located in minutes.

3. Assess risks before the trip

Check the situation at the destination, visa and vaccination requirements, weather conditions and events that may affect the trip. For higher-risk destinations, set specific approvals and extra guidance.

4. Provide proper travel insurance

On international trips, insurance with medical and baggage coverage is essential, and some countries require it at entry. Define the minimum coverage and make clear how to use it.

5. Brief the traveler

Before departure, the employee should receive the full itinerary, emergency contacts, insurance details and practical information about the destination. A well-informed traveler makes better decisions when plans change.

6. Offer support outside business hours

Emergencies do not keep office hours. Travelers need a number to call at night, on weekends and on holidays, answered by someone with the authority to rebook flights, book a hotel and solve the problem.

7. Build a crisis plan

Define who is notified in an emergency, who decides, how the family is informed and how the employee gets home. Review the plan regularly and test it.

8. Look after well-being, not only safety

Choose hotels in safe areas close to the workplace, avoid schedules that combine an overnight flight with an early meeting and consider specific needs, such as those of travelers with disabilities or women traveling alone.

Quick duty of care checklist

• Travel policy with safety and emergency rules.
• Centralized bookings and recorded itineraries.
• Travel insurance with defined coverage.
• Emergency contacts given to every traveler.
• Support at night, on weekends and holidays.
• Crisis plan with named people in charge.
• Review after incidents to improve the process.

The role of the corporate travel agency

A specialized agency is a strong ally for duty of care: it holds the itineraries, knows who is traveling and where, follows flight cancellations and changes and acts quickly to rebook, reaccommodate and offer alternatives. Learn more about what a corporate travel agency does.

Duty of care with ArrowTur

At ArrowTur, your company’s trips are recorded on the Arrow Corporate platform, with your policy and approval workflows configured, and followed by consultants who know your operation. Our team works Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Brasília time), and our emergency line takes calls from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., including weekends and holidays. We also offer airport assistance, passport and visa support and travel insurance, so your employees travel with peace of mind from departure to return.

Learn about our corporate travel management or talk to our sales team at +55 11 5189-4120.

Frequently asked questions

Is duty of care mandatory?

There is no Brazilian law with that name, but companies are responsible for the safety of employees traveling on business, and accidents on these trips count as work accidents. Adopting duty of care practices protects both people and the company. Check the rules that apply to you with your legal team.

Does duty of care apply to domestic trips?

Yes. Risks vary by destination, but the duty of care applies to every business trip, domestic or international, including travel by car.

Who is responsible for duty of care in the company?

Usually HR, occupational safety, legal and the team that manages travel share the responsibility. What matters is that roles are defined in the policy and everyone knows what to do in an emergency.