How Effective is Your Duty of Care Program?
Companies have a moral, ethical, and increasing legal responsibility to protect their employees, and in some cases, their contractors from physical and emotional harm when engaging in activities on the company’s behalf. This concept is often referred to as a company’s duty-of-care, and it can extend well beyond the office and include international travel and overseas assignments. Companies that fail to meet basic duty-of-care expectations may be liable for injuries, death, or other losses.
Effective duty-of-care requires a company to identify relevant risks and then plan and coordinate a range of specific actions that collectively improve its ability to identify and manage safety and security risks. Generally, the minimum requirements include:
- Creating a clear policy statement on the topic of duty of care
- Training all relevant staff on the fundamental risks they are likely to encounter
- Maintaining up-to-date training records
- Implementing clear communication channels when concerns arise
- Documenting concerns, actions taken, and reporting outcomes
Companies can benefit from an effective duty of care program through higher employee retention, attracting better talent as well as reduced insurance premiums. Conversely, the negative impacts of a poor duty-of-care policy can range from extensive legal fees or monetary settlements and reputational damage that can impede growth.
Riley’s Duty of Care Indicator is an easy way for companies to monitor their overall duty of care performance. To learn more about Riley and the industry’s only Duty of Care Indicator, click here or send us a message.
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