• Mental stress in the work environment has been known for a long time. At the latest since the Covid-19 pandemic, the topic of "mental health" has arrived in all organisations. However, not all companies are sufficiently equipped to systematically address mental stress, especially in an international environment, and to implement preventive measures.

  Together with our Switzerland, Germany and Austria DGUV, Gerlach Löscher Littler Rechtsanwälte, Gewerkschaft GPA, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, ISSA Mining, r& associés avocats and TÜV Hessen, the International SOS Foundation has developed a guide in German for assessing mental stress in an international environment.

  The guide provides an overview of legal and professional principles for companies and explains international standards. The methodology of the mental risk assessment is explained in a simple and understandable way and supported with checklists (available in German and English).

  Examples and best practices from the internationally operating companies Sulzer, SAP, OMV support the topic.

  What you will find in the guide:

• How do companies deal with the internationally different approaches to mental health assessment?
• How are mental stresses assessed during international professional travel, how are the risks minimised?
• How can mental health be measured and assessed in the international environment, how can it be tackled preventively?

Checklist "Psychological Risk Assessment" - Assessing psychosocial risks in an international environment

According to last year's WHO report on mental health, cases of depression and anxiety disorders worldwide increased by 25 per cent in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic alone. Thus, almost one billion people are living with a mental illness.

The awareness of how the workplace contributes to mental ill-health has been rising steadily.

However, not all companies are yet equipped to systematically assess mental risks, especially in an international environment, and to introduce preventative measures.

At work, preventing mental diseases is about managing psychosocial risks in the workplace. Employers can do this by implementing organisational interventions that assess, and then mitigate, modify or remove workplace risks to mental health.

The checklist for a workplace psychological safety assessment provides organisations in both, national and international settings, with a tool to implement all steps of a psychological risk assessment.

The checklist (English) is taken from the paper "Assessing Mental Risks in an International Environment - A Guide to Safety, Health and Well-being for Companies with a Global Workforce", International SOS Foundation, 2023 (German).

Link to Mental Health Paper and Checklist: https://www.internationalsos.de/insights/gefaehrdungsbeurteilung-psychische-belastungen?channel=ASTM

• Ratefinding.com is a web-based procurement portal that enables you to conduct rate negotiations with the hotels of your choice in a structured and efficient manner.
  

• Ratefinding.com users benefit from:

• • Efficiency increase
  • Cost savings through strategic analysis & targeted negotiation
  • Process optimisation
  • Volume bundling
  • Centralisation

• 
  

• Ratefinding.com offers:

• • Consulting services: Partial or full support
  • Flexibility: Decision per process step or destination
  • Control: company-wide access to negotiated company rates
  • Different user rights: restriction of destinations or technical rights
  • Individualisation: modules for each individual customer can be adapted

In addition, the Ratefinding.com team offers the entire value chain to support your company in hotel sourcing and create the perfect hotel program for your company:

For more information and contact details, please visit our website: https://www.ratefinding.com/en/home-2/

Hadeel Badawi is 12 years old. She lives in Masaken with her parents and two siblings. Hadeel attends afternoon formal schooling at a public school near her neighborhood. Her family fled from Idleb Syria when the crisis first hit; her dad managed to find a job in a local vegetable market and her mom takes care of the family at home.

Hadeel attends digital training at Al Masar Community Center where she learns the basic functions of a computer as well as Microsoft Office. “Hadeel is a fast learner, she is always asking questions and curious to learn more. She is one of the top students in class and applies what she learns in a smooth and quick manner,” says the DT instructor.

Hadeel aspires to be a lawyer in the future, she wants to work for human rights and try to make a different in this world.

Are you looking for a central, reliable and flexible payment solution for your business travel, which you can optimally connect with your travel agent and/or integrate in your online booking tool? Our UBS Visa Lodge Card is the right solution for you.

In close collaboration with our long-standing partner Visa, we offer our business clients the UBS Visa Lodge Card (CTA; Central Travel Account) central payment solution. The UBS Visa Lodge Card is the perfect fit, from connecting the respective travel agent partner, the expense management provider, the online booking solution to the seamless integration into your ecosystem. As a user of the UBS Visa Lodge Card, you can expect a fully integrated payment solution that is easily and individually tailored to your needs and requirements, in order to secure your mobility management.

Besides the highly flexible integration options, we offer numerous intuitive, detailed evaluation and analysis options for your reporting. The individually adjustable additional data allow maximum optimization of the downstream booking processes. And furthermore, you are optimally insured with the Visa Lodge Card – the comprehensive insurance cover for business trips also includes protection for external travelers.

With our additional UBS Visa Lodge Card Light option, we offer a further efficient, central payment solution for simple configurations with minimum integration effort.

Have we sparked your interest? We look forward to advising you. Our experienced advisory and integration team will be very happy to help you.

Stefan Laitschek – Implementation Manager UBS Visa Lodge Card (Stefan.laitschek@cardcenter.ch)

Dear members, 

We are pleased to announce today the sponsoring partnership between the ASTM and UBS Switzerland AG. With this partnership, we are pursuing common goals and creating attractive possibilities in the area of Corporate Travel and Mobility Management.

"As a leading bank, we are committed to develop innovative payment solutions and services for Commercial Cards that meet our client's expectations at all time and help them achieve their goals. By cooperating with the ASTM, we can further strengthen our commitment for quality and innovation in the area of Corporate Travel and Mobility Management", says Alexander Blattner, Head Sales Commercial Cards UBS Switzerland AG. 

"We are convinced that this partnership will allow us to share our expertise and experience and thus to jointly contribute to our promising future. We are looking forward to a successful collaboration with the ASTM", adds Robert Troy from Strategic Channel Management Commercial Cards UBS Switzerland AG.

Best regards, 

ASTM - Leadership Team 

Sabah Kahoul / Dominic Short

Due to the constant demand, the school has become an integral part of the local educational structure and is fully managed by local educational professionals. The number of students is growing steadily. The salaries of the teachers are constantly being adjusted. In order to secure the school for the future, the focus is now on expansion.

Another floor is being rented in the existing school building this year. This will allow the classrooms to be enlarged and more children to be accommodated. Extraordinary financial means are necessary for this development step, including increased rent, more wages for more teachers, renovation work, purchase of materials, etc.

Please support us with your donation so that we can finance the new floor and the related costs.

Additional costs per month: US$ 5'000.-

All the details you find here

The 2023 Business Travel Innovation Faceoff Participants have been announced!

Check them out here: https://www.businesstravelshoweurope.com/business-travel-innovation-faceoff?utm_source=ASTM&utm_medium=Link&utm_content=BTSE23ASTMIFOLink&utm_campaign=BTSE23

"Summer Special" Basel

"Summer Special" Zurich

Enjoy high-quality all-inclusive vacation of a special kind and quality living at the highest level inclusive all services and activities which make your holidays perfect.

The brand new summer package includes just about everything a guest's heart desires for a carefree summer holiday: choose your favourite activities from a wide range and have everything organised by your personal chalet manager. The equipment for the adventures of your choice is of course included. Furthermore, lift tickets and a private hiking or biking guide, all meals with drinks, as well as childcare or relaxing massages are also covered by the overnight rate - an overall pampering package awaits you.

Check out the website: https://www.rocksresort.com/en/casa-mulania-the-rocks-suites/

We have some exciting news for you! We are launching a new service called reTravel, which will make your travel experience with us more enjoyable and convenient. Our new service is tailored to your specific travel needs and preferences. It is designed to help you save time, reduce stress, and make your travel planning process easier and more efficient.

reTravel uses AI and Machine Learning on anonymised datasets to predict what products you most likely need and when during your trip. Therefore, avoiding spamming and overwhelming you with offers you don’t need and focusing on elevating your booking and travel experience.

As a traveller, you will receive an email giving suggestions for airport transfer, car rental, rail or hotel options if you still need to book one, considering your travel policy or corporate agreements. Hotel, car rental, rail and transfer bookings being made, will be instantly reflected on our booking systems, so we can fully support you when needed. Our offers are contextual and aiming at delivering value, like offering a lounge pass upon identifying a flight delay when you are already at the airport. Sending you a helpful check-in reminder to your flight with an easy check in flow, alongside the option to purchase last minute product as airport parking or attractive eSim powered data packages. Are you staying over the weekend? You might get an offer for events, museum visits, shows or top-rated restaurants with one-click reservation to delights your evenings.

reTravel offers the best options, whether planning a business trip, attending a conference, meeting, or corporate event, or travelling for personal reasons. From hotel deals to car rental and other business and non-business-related activities, we’ll make sure you get the most out of your trip with the best deal possible.

For more information visit: https://retravel.io/