Boston, Nov. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There’s no question that the landscape for international business travel has changed beyond recognition. Recent research by the Institute of Travel Management found that 38% of corporate travel managers expect their firm’s travel plans and budgets for 2021 to be down by 25% to 50% compared to 2019. However, for many organizations that operate with an international footprint, it is imperative to get employees moving again, and for ex-pat workers to be located abroad. With this requirement comes all the usual risks – in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Security and health risk management leader, HX Global/Healix International, has developed a new suite of tools to give risk managers vital control while meeting their ever-evolving duty of care obligations. Healix Sentinel brings together five solutions to provide global organizations with essential tools to stay informed of the risks their employees and operations may face and take appropriate action wherever they are across the globe.
“This year has been extraordinary and organizations around the world are adjusting to a new way of working to ensure business continuity and productivity,” explained Mike Webb, CEO of Healix International/HX Global. “But remote working can only go so far and it is critical for many businesses that travel resumes. While COVID-19 brings a new dynamic, all the other risks associated with working abroad, such as earthquakes, terrorist activities, or staff experiencing other health-related emergencies, remain.
“Whether it is risk associated with COVID-19, or a country’s political landscape, we understand the importance of balance. Excessive risk management programs can be burdensome and costly, while inadequate cover leaves an organization vulnerable to operational disruption, reputational damage, and potential litigation.”
Developed by experts in crisis management and risk mitigation, the Healix Sentinel suite of services goes beyond the traditional travel risk space to focus instead on “people risk management,” whether they are traveling or not.. Another refreshing way the Sentinel platform stands out is the way the client risk manager – rather than the employee - is seen as the primary stakeholder. As Mike Webb adds; “Often the client only has a small team, or a single individual, responsible for risk mitigation. That’s a heavy burden. The Sentinel platform addresses that by making their lives easier and acting as a force multiplier.”
Risk managers can tailor Healix Sentinel to fit their own specific requirements, choosing the mix of services that will complement and support existing security resources. Alternatively, Healix International/HX Global can provide a fully managed 24/7 “virtual” security department, delivering timely, actionable intelligence using cutting-edge technology to provide location-specific insights and monitoring of incidents. In doing so,, it gives risk managers peace of mind that they are providing employees with the highest possible level of duty of care.
“Our holistic approach encompasses planning, preparing and taking appropriate action as and when required. By providing a solution scalable to specific needs, this new suite of offerings allows risk managers to capitalize on opportunities in challenging environments within their own risk parameters,” concluded Mike Webb.
“As well as helping tackle an organization’s risk management concerns and giving peace of mind, Healix Sentinel helps an organization maintain a competitive advantage and will enhance its reputation as a secure and compliant organization.”
The Healix Sentinel range includes:
Healix Sentinel Protect
The flagship service gives risk/security managers 24/7 access to a team of crisis and risk management experts. From travel security briefings and situation updates to incident and crisis response and evacuations, it is a virtual 24/7 Global Security Operations Center (GSOC). Risk managers benefit from tailored analysis, second opinions and bespoke risk assessments to proactively mitigate risks before they become problematic, and expert assistance when incidents do occur. Furthermore, the service can be tailored to be, or support, an organization’s in-house resources.
Healix Sentinel Tracker
This tool allows risk/security managers to seamlessly monitor and account for their globally mobile workforce via integration with the Healix Sentinel Travel Oracle mobile app. Security alerts and notifications are issued in a timely manner and managers can quickly locate and communicate with employees during a critical incident to ensure their safety. With “Location Services” activated by employees on their app, risk managers are provided with an accurate, real-time global view of their employees on an interactive map.
Healix Sentinel Critical Watch
Providing a cost-effective solution to extend a security team’s capabilities, Healix Sentinel Critical Watch is ideal for organizations that may lack the in-house resources to monitor employees’ safety around-the-clock. The Healix International/HX Global team provides 24/7 monitoring of global incidents. In the immediate aftermath of a critical incident, the team reaches out to employees in the vicinity who could be impacted. Their safety is ascertained, and appropriate action can be taken according to the situation.
Healix Sentinel Travel Oracle App
Available on Android and iOS, the Healix Sentinel Travel Oracle app is an invaluable travel safety companion for a global workforce. Through alerts and comprehensive background travel and security briefings on over 200 countries, it provides instant access to critical insight and support before and during overseas assignments. The app also provides current travel safety information, advice and real-time alerts on breaking news, and has a tracking function that enables travelers to share live location data or manually “check-in” at previously agreed upon milestones with a direct feed into the Healix Sentinel Tracker platform.
Healix Sentinel Intelligence Portal
This portal is designed to provide risk managers with up-to-date intelligence on global risks that could impact their operations. The dashboard displays a concise summary of information relating to ongoing incidents, risk levels and trends. Alerts are updated to the platform in real-time by our risk analysts who monitor, verify, and assess the impact of incidents as they happen.
The Intelligence Portal also has detailed intelligence summaries on every country worldwide, providing risk managers with in-depth contextual information. A number of different reports can be accessed such as a weekly forecast, evacuation watch and threat report.
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HX Global is the US division of Healix International, a leading global provider of travel risk management and international medical, security and travel assistance services. The HX Global team works on behalf of multinationals, governments, NGOs and insurers they look after the welfare of expatriates, travelers, offshore workers, and local nationals in every country of the world. We provide a comprehensive, integrated range of solutions to help safeguard the health and security of their clients’ employees, providing a single point of contact to access the expertise and help they may need, wherever they are in the world, 24/7.