Duty of Care Summit highlights workforce resilience

Against a backdrop of COVID-19 and an increased focus on the health, safety, security and wellbeing of staff, the International SOS Foundation has launched a two-day Duty of Care Summit.

Arnaud Vaissié, co-founder, chairman and CEO of International SOS, commented, “We are at a critical point in the evolution of Duty of Care. This has seen rapid acceleration in the past year.

”Since the International SOS Foundation last hosted this event, in 2019, we have all lived through extraordinary times. No-one had foreseen the impact that COVID-19 has had on the global community, the economy and business operations. It has shaken many organisations to the core, and we will continue to see rapid and varying change.”

“I am proud to say that the Foundation is celebrating its 10^th anniversary as ambassadors for Duty of Care this year. We are very grateful to all those, who have supported the Foundation over the years and will continuously drive its impact of the future of Duty of Care.

The summit brings together industry-leading experts for discussion, debate, practical case studies and valuable networking on protecting global workforces, mitigating risks and fortifying business resilience.

This year’s event theme encompasses the focus on resilience in light of robust and challenging circumstances - Empowering the Future of Workforce Resilience: Redefining Duty of Care in a COVID-19 World.

Recognising COVID champions

The Foundation also unveiled the 2021 Duty of Care Awards winners. This year, the awards featured two new special categories. ‘COVID-19 Agility and Response’ and ‘COVID-19 Ambassador’, to recognise the most inspiring initiatives and contribution taken by an organisation and a single individual in the face of the global pandemic.

John Denton, secretary general of ICC and head of judges, “Although this year has presented exceptional challenges for organisations and individuals alike, it is still extraordinary to have received so many high-quality entries. The submissions have been exemplary in demonstrating resilience amidst the COVID-19 world.”