Foreign travel policy

Having a checklist is only part of the process of managing any foreign travel risks. In order to give it status, it should be part of a wider policy. We have provided a sample to give you an idea of what to include.

Responding to increased risks

Depending on which part of the world staff will travel to and how frequently, you may find that whilst useful, a checklist isn’t quite enough on its own and needs beefing up. This is particularly the case with the increased risk from terrorist activity in certain parts of the world. For this reason, we have drafted a Foreign Travel Policy, as it can set out your procedures before any foreign travel is made.

Using the policy

After the two introductory sections, the body of this policy focuses on the procedures to be followed when planning trips. Reference is made to the Foreign Travel Checklist and the fact that certain designated managers are tasked with implementing the policy. The first procedure emphasises the importance of checking the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website to ensure that there are no travel restrictions to the intended destination (important as insurers use this website to set travel insurance exclusions). It then moves on to considering vaccination needs and whether or not an “emergency pack” has been provided, e.g. emergency contact details. The fourth section deals with employee duties, e.g. to co-operate with you over any safe systems of work introduced.