Duty of Care vs. Travel Risk: No More, No Less—Just Different Risks

Organizations have spent years building Travel Risk Management (TRM) programs to address international travel hazards. Threats abroad—political instability, terrorism, inadequate infrastructure—drove companies to invest heavily in location monitoring, travel tracking, threat intelligence, and emergency response systems for employees on overseas assignments. The logic was simple: international travel means higher risk.

But there’s a problem.. that logic doesn’t hold anymore. Domestic risks are every bit as significant as international ones—just different. And most Duty of Care programs fail to address them with the same rigor.

Think about it. A traveler headed to a high-risk country may face terrorism or civil unrest. But what about an employee commuting to work in a major city during a violent protest? Or a remote worker caught in a critical weather event without access to immediate assistance?

In reality, companies now have decentralized workforces spread across multiple environments—home offices, shared workspaces, remote sites, and international assignments. Risks don’t stop at borders. The threats may vary, but the stakes are the same.

Domestic Risks Are Here—And Growing

When companies overlook domestic risks, they’re turning a blind eye to real threats that can have catastrophic consequences.

Here are just a few examples:

• Active shooter incidents: Tragically, these are not uncommon in the U.S. Employees face this risk not only in offices but also in co-working spaces, cafes, or even while commuting.
• Insider threats: Not limited to espionage—insider threats include disgruntled employees or contractors who may pose safety risks to others.
• Critical weather events: Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity. Employees working remotely or spread across various locations are exposed to these risks without the immediate support of a centralized office.
• Major incidents & disruptions: Think train crashes, plane crashes, or large-scale accidents. Employees traveling domestically for business may be caught up in such events.
• Protests, civil unrest, and violent crime: From political protests in major cities to localized unrest, employees commuting or working in urban areas face growing risks. In parts of the U.S. and EU, violent crime is a serious concern.
• Domestic terrorism: Whether it’s far-right extremists, groups like ANTIFA, or ISIS-inspired lone wolves, domestic terrorism is a persistent and unpredictable threat.

Despite escalating risks, most companies’ Duty of Care programs focus too heavily on international travel while underestimating domestic threats. This has created a dangerous gap in how organizations protect their people.

So Why Do Companies Overlook Domestic Risks?

1. No Specific Industry Mandate or Standard

Unlike TRM, which has a specific guide by like ISO 31030, there’s no real equivalent framework pushing companies to address domestic risks comprehensively, so a lot drops between the gaps of 45000, 31000 and so on. Without a clear mandate, many organizations default to minimal compliance with local health and safety regulations—which typically don’t cover risks outside the office.

2. Cost and Complexity

Addressing domestic risks comprehensively ain't without its own risks. Rolling out the tools (threat intelligence at minimum) to every employee—not just those traveling internationally—requires significant planning and investment to make it successful. Many companies fear that taking on such an initiative would create work and cost with no clear return.

3. Fear of Opening Pandora’s Box

Companies may be hesitant to dig into domestic risks because it forces them to confront uncomfortable truths: their current programs aren’t fit for purpose. Acknowledging these gaps could require sweeping changes in how they operate—from introducing new processes to retraining staff—which may disrupt business and slow down operations.

4. Legacy Mindset

Many companies still operate with a legacy mindset that sees Duty of Care as something confined to the office. TRM exists because international travel was historically viewed as an outlier—an exceptional situation requiring special attention. But the modern workforce is decentralized, and risks aren’t limited to the office or overseas assignments.

Bridging the Gap: Building a Unified Duty of Care Program

If companies are serious about protecting their people—whether full-time employees, contractors, remote workers, or frequent travelers—they need to stop treating domestic and international risks as separate issues.

1. Adopt a Unified Approach

Stop drawing artificial lines between domestic and international risks. Build a single, comprehensive safety framework that covers all employees, regardless of where they work.

2. Deploy Location Monitoring Tools

Use the same tools that track international travelers to monitor employees domestically. Whether they’re commuting, working remotely, or on a domestic business trip, they should have access to real-time threat alerts and support.

3. Enhance Threat Intelligence

Provide employees with real-time updates on protests, weather events, major disruptions, and other risks relevant to their location. This isn’t just sending out emails—it’s equipping people with actionable intelligence they can actually use.

4. Train for Real-World Risks

Expand employee training programs to include active shooter response, insider threat awareness, and emergency evacuation procedures.... and what to do to prepare your home office for a flood, a communications outage, a power outage.

5. Standardize Emergency Response Protocols

Ensure that every employee—whether working from home, in a co-working space, or traveling domestically—knows how to access emergency support. This means having clear processes in place and ensuring employees are aware of them.

6. Invest in Scalable Solutions

Comprehensive doesn’t have to mean expensive. Companies can start by rolling out scalable, cost-effective solutions like on-demand advisory services, virtual threat assessments, and incident response platforms...

Final Thought: Different Risks, Same Stakes

The world has changed. Risks were never confined to international borders, but now our safety programs can’t be either if they're to be effective. Domestic risks—from active shooters to critical weather events and civil unrest—are real, growing, and potentially catastrophic.

If we continue to treat domestic risks as lesser threats, we’re not just failing our employees—we’re exposing our organizations to significant liability and reputational damage. The threats may be different, but the stakes are the same.