You can learn more about organisational responsibilities, family liaison and the experiences of hostages and their families through our training and education programme.
Organisations who send employees to high-risk areas
Organisations that send employees to a high-risk area are responsible for their safety. This responsibility is usually enshrined in law; for instance, in the UK, it is addressed in the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. This particular Act states that employers have a duty of care to their employees, and requires employers to notify employees of the risks involved in carrying out their role.
To fulfil your responsibility effectively, you should prepare for high risk eventualities. As Hostage International is dedicated to the needs of hostages and their families, we specialise in sharing best practice in family support preparation. For other aspects of emergency preparedness and security, you need to consult with other organisations. Seek advice and training from reputable response consultancies, security firms and foreign affair wings of governments. When liaising with them about your resources, areas of operation, duty of care and corporate culture, you should consider the following:
How to make employees aware of potential risks before they travel, so that they are better equipped to deal with a kidnap crisis;
Plans and protocols for responding to a kidnap incident, and how you will communicate them to staff and other relevant parties in a transparent way;
Behaviours or precautions that can be taken to minimise the risk of kidnapping, and ensuring that staff fully comply; and
How you will stay informed of the risks in the kidnap hotspot, so you can take swift action at any time, and be prepared for any of the consequences of a kidnap crisis.
The kidnap of an employee will put a strain on your organisation’s resources, but it is important to do whatever you can to bring back the hostage safely and look after their family.
Responsibilities and best practice when an employee is kidnapped outside of their employment
If the hostage is an employee of your organisation, but the kidnap occurred outside of their employment (for example, while they were on holiday), you may not have any legal duty of care, but it is regarded as good corporate social responsibility for employers to provide as much support as they can to their employee’s family and to continue paying their employee’s salary for as long as is feasible. Illustrating a commitment to support in such circumstances can have an enormous impact on staff morale.
If the hostage is released, they may not be fit to return to their full work responsibilities straightaway. It is best practice for employers to extend discretion to them as they recover from their ordeal and assist with facilitating any emotional support that may help them. You can tell them about our Family and Hostage Support service if they wish to have ongoing and independent support.
Responsibilities of employers of the hostage’s relatives
If one of your employees has a family member who has been taken hostage, treat them with compassion as they will be under immense stress and are likely to exhibit symptoms of ongoing mental trauma. The hostage’s family are as much victims of this crime as the hostage. The family may be suffering some of the shock and grief of a bereavement, but without the “closure” that can come with mourning. In addition to coping, the family will be addressing many practical challenges- attending meetings with government and police, struggling to access the hostage’s bank accounts and arranging extra children’s care, to name a few. It is uncertain how long a kidnap may last or how the crisis might develop, and it is best to be as flexible as possible.
Responsibilities of organisations connected to the family
If you are an organisation that has other connections with the hostage or their family – for example, a bank or an education provider –handle the family’s needs with sensitivity and discretion. To protect the life of the hostage and increase the likelihood of a safe release, information about the kidnap and in particular the operations aimed at resolving the kidnap are highly confidential. As a result, the family can only tell you limited information. Also, kidnapping is not a frequent crime in most countries, so there may be a lack of provision for it in your standard policies and procedures. However, the hostage’s family are as much victims of the crime as the hostage, and handling their needs and the needs of the hostage with tact, compassion and in a timely manner is good corporate social responsibility.
You can learn more about organisational responsibilities, family liaison and the experiences of hostages and their families through our training and education programme.