Expert risk mitigation advice for large corporate events

Large corporate events carry more risk (medical emergencies, security threats, legal exposure and reputational impact) than most teams plan for.

The challenge is ensuring that the right systems, partners and decisions are in place before anything goes wrong. Yet, only 36% of planners currently have a risk management team. 

If you’re responsible for attendee safety and event execution, risk planning isn’t optional.

We asked ITA Group's Diane Drey, who has led on-site operations for complex global programs for nearly 30 years, to share the practices that actually hold up when situations escalate.

Who should be assigned to the risk team for a large corporate event?

A lead travel director, the client contact—and possibly someone from their HR team—along with venue security should be on the event risk team.

This team confirms client protocols, such as:

• What is your policy if someone needs to go to the hospital?  
• Does their manager go along?  
• Do you want one of our team members to join them?  
• Who calls their family?  
• When is your human resources team involved? 

How do you proactively plan emergency communications and on-site plans? 

Set up communications channels before you travel, so you’re not scrambling to figure out who you need to talk with and hunting for their contact information in an emergency.

Organizations have different thresholds about what they think is an elevated concern. ITA Group reviews that every time, so we know how to document and support every incident that might occur, whether illness, arrest, etc.

Once on site, reevaluate any threats and refamiliarize yourself with the property layout, including the evacuation plans and where the AED is—both at the hotel and offsite venues.

What’s an overlooked risk management practice corporate event professionals should prioritize during contracting? 

Ask about the hotel’s privacy policy for notifying partners if someone from your block is responsible for damage to the room, has security called or a guest is hospitalized. Unfortunately, some hotel groups’ privacy policies prevent us from working with them.

If an attendee needs to be hospitalized longer than the event, plan for extended care scenarios, including lodging and transportation for companions to and from the hospital each day. When they’re ready to fly back home, put them in contact with someone who can book new flights.

If operating internationally, work with translators to make sure there’s no communication barrier.

Related: Incorporate these 4 key provisions into future corporate event contracts to protect the budget

Are all-inclusive resorts a safe destination choice for incentive trips?

It depends on what the client is envisioning for their incentive program. Part of ITA Group’s process is helping clients understand what their guests enjoy and value, then weighing overall value against the potential for increased incidents.

Some groups can handle an all-inclusive better than others. We have some clients who go in expecting to have 15–20 incidents, which could range from slips and falls to something more serious. They’re at peace with that because attendees love the experience, and the organization can afford it.

Related: How to manage risk in corporate incentive travel destination selection

Data helps plan for attendee safety 

Use past event data to anticipate likely incident patterns.

Serving alcohol significantly increases the likelihood of certain attendee behavior issues. That data helps us make predictions based on the number of attendees and event type, so clients receive targeted advice during the planning process.

One time, we were planning an event at a remote, all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. It was an hour from the nearest hospital and relied on regional ambulances.  

We worked with our partners to have that ambulance staged at the parking lot of our hotel, because we knew if something occurred, we needed attention immediately. I’m so glad we did. Someone on the trip required medical evacuation. We were prepared and coordinated care the fastest way possible.

If you were to give advice to someone in your role, what would that be? 

I always tell my team: You'll never regret documenting a situation, and you'll never know when that documentation will be needed.  

We've had people decline medical attention. We document their refusal, and they later claim we never provided it to them. That's important, from a legal perspective, to protect our clients.

Team training and security partners

Train teams regularly on both event safety and personal safety protocols. Reinforce learning with ongoing scenario reviews to ensure everyone knows how to care for various incidents.  

You need to have flexibility and a strong support system to see a situation through. ITA Group has a security partner, a medical partner, a medical insurance partner, plus strategic partnerships with our venues and hotels. Our legal team is critically important, working nights and weekends to support our clients.

An always-available point of contact

Ensure there’s a clear escalation path for high-risk situations. I'm a 24/7-access sounding board if any security issues arrive. The team knows they can call me in the middle of the night, if someone gets arrested or needs medical attention.

It helps to talk to someone who's not in the heat of a situation. I've got team members who call me, tell me the whole story, and by the time they're done talking, they’ve come up with the solution, and I've been hung up on.  

You want to feel confident going into any event because your teams know they’re never alone. 

Event risk mitigation: simple checklist 

The difference between reacting to risk and managing it comes down to preparation. Use this high-level checklist to make sure your event is set up to handle what you can’t predict. 

Before the event 

✅ Assign a risk team (client, travel lead, HR, venue/security)  

✅ Define incident protocols (who does what, when)  

✅ Set up emergency contacts and communication channels  

✅ Address safety scenarios in contracts (hospitalization, transport, etc.)  

During planning

✅ Use past data to predict likely issues

✅ Align security, medical and legal partners

On site 

✅ Recheck risks, layout and emergency plans

✅ Ensure 24/7 escalation support is clear

Always 

✅ Train teams regularly 

✅ Document every incident—no exceptions 

Discover how to mitigate disruptions impacting participant safety, brand reputation and financial or contractual liabilities.