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The remaining threats (except for piracy) were considered to be medium-risk. Four of the top 10 threats were health-related (illness while on assignment, lack of access to Western-standard medical care, infectious diseases and travel-related infections). In this volatile world, companies perceive risk exposure to the health of their employees higher than the threats posed by natural and human-made disasters. Road accidents are a major concern and the number one reason for medical evacuation of employees5


(see Figure 7). Because health-related threats are


considered the most risky, companies must have some kind of protection for their employees—not just medical insurance, but also preventative medical care and medical assistance wherever


their employees are working, especially in locations with no or limited access to Western-standard medical care.


Geography (HQ and respondent) and sector/industry affect employees' perceptions of risk. These factors matter more than the size of the company, whether it is a Global 500 or not, and the employee function. Respondents and companies are more aware of higher risks of threats once they have experienced them. But, cultural frameworks and company resources may mitigate the perception of certain risks without any realistic connection to the actual risk of occurrence. As with perceptions, the risk of these various threats remains, to a large extent, in the eye of the beholder.


Figure 7 Perceived Risk ofThreat Categories Travel delays


Illness while on assignment Opportunistic crime


Road accidents Pickpockets Lost luggage


Lack of access to Western medical care Infectious diseases


Travel-related infections Violent crime


Language and cultural estrangement Lawlessness Terrorism Pandemics


Lost passport


Political upheaval Civil unrest


Chronic disease of employee Workplace accident Flood


Kidnapping Earthquake


Remoteness of work location Hurricane, typhoon, tsunami


Organized crime Lack of air quality Hijacking


Lack of adminisrative/legal compliance


Rural isolation Insurgency Coup d'état


Airline catastrophes Hotel fires Ash cloud Imprisonment War


Piracy Low Medium High


5


International SOS, 2010. 16


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