English
30 years of International SOS: A growing focus on prevention
London
• Medical advice cases up by nearly half over the last three years
• Travel security advice cases up by 29% during the last year
• Increased need for robust mitigation plans globally
International SOS is marking its 30th year with clear advice to organisations that prevention strategies are more important than ever before.
International SOS is the world’s largest medical and travel security services group. It has helped thousands of clients adopt robust, preventative workplace programmes: Medical and travel security plans tailored to the needs of their people, locations and operations. They help keep employees safe and well, assist business continuity and can help avoid costly emergencies.
Data from the group’s 27 assistance centres over the last three years shows positive trends and a clear return on investment for client organisations:
• The number of medical advice cases has increased by 46%
• The number of medical referrals, including early intervention, is up 30%
• The number of travellers using medical and travel security pre-trip advisories is up by 28%, with 90% of TravelTracker clients now using this service.
• Traveller and trip numbers covered by the TravelTracker solution have both increased by over 15%
• The number of cases where evacuation and/or repatriation has been prevented has risen by 10%
• In addition during the last year the number of travel security advice cases has increased by 29%, while the number of clients requiring emergency assistance only rose by 5% during the same period
Des Donnelly, Development Director EEMEA at International SOS said:
“Over the last 30 years the world has changed dramatically and we have changed with it. Today’s global business leaders know they need to plan well and prepare their organisations, not just react when something goes wrong.
We feel these statistics show that our emphasis on comprehensive risk mitigation solutions is having a real impact. We are confident the data supports our view that we are enabling our clients to plan and prepare much better. As a result their people can really benefit, experiencing fewer lengthy in-patient stays, medical interventions and complex evacuations.”
Client testimony
International SOS is now providing over five million services a year. The business regularly develops new products and solutions to meet the needs of its clients. MTN Group, an International SOS client since 2010, is a leading mobile telecommunications operator in emerging markets, connecting 219.2 million people across Africa and the Middle East.
Zain Reddiar, Head: International HR Operations at MTN Group Head Office in South Africa said:
“As our business expanded across 22 countries we found a real need for International SOS’ services.
If we did not have this relationship we would feel far more vulnerable.
We can’t leave anything to chance and wait for something to go wrong: Education, prevention and preparation have always been really important for us. Our work with International SOS is one proof point that shows our people that we are an organisation that cares and takes their wellbeing seriously.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak is a case in point. The moment we realised this could be a concern for our people and our operations, we talked to International SOS. The response was immediate – something we needed and came to expect. The information and advice provided enabled us to respond appropriately to media enquiries, to governments, to our staff and their families, and to local communities.
You can never put a value on a person’s health and safety – their wellbeing is the number one priority. We know the welfare of an employee assigned to a foreign country takes precedent over any cost concerns, but we do believe the real value we get back as a result of our relationship could easily be ten times or more what we actually pay in membership.”
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About the International SOS Group of Companies The International SOS Group of Companies is in the business of saving lives, protecting your global workforce from health and security threats. Wherever you are, we deliver customised health, security risk management and wellbeing solutions to fuel your growth and productivity. In the event of extreme weather, an epidemic or a security incident, we provide an immediate response providing peace of mind. Our innovative technology and medical and security expertise focus on prevention, offering real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground quality delivery. We help protect your people, your organisation's reputation, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Duty of Care responsibilities, while empowering business resilience, continuity and sustainability. Founded in 1985, the International SOS Group, headquartered in London & Singapore, is trusted by 12,000 organisations, including the majority of the Fortune 500, as well as mid-size enterprises, governments, educational institutions and NGOs. 12,000 multicultural medical, security and logistics experts stand with you to provide support & assistance from over 1,000 locations in 90 countries, 24/7, 365 days.
To protect your workforce, we are at your fingertips: www.internationalsos.com
About TravelTracker
TravelTracker 6 is a solution offered by International SOS and its joint venture partner Control Risks, enabling clients to assist their employees wherever they are in the world. The advanced features are a gateway to the membership services of both companies - working together to offer the world’s most comprehensive medical and travel security solutions. More details about TravelTracker can be found here.
International SOS and Ebola
International SOS has provided advice and assistance on the Ebola outbreak to over 750 clients globally, including organisations in the affected countries. Our dedicated website and Ebola app for mobile devices have been made available for free to the public. We have provided over 115 governments, NGOs, businesses and industry bodies with free educational material.
