With a global risk picture that’s decidedly mixed, organizations with employees traveling around the world are advised to assess the risks and take steps to address them before those employees set off, experts said Tuesday at the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc.’s annual conference.

Speaking on a panel examining Global Risks in 2013: Understanding and Preparing for What Lies Ahead, Iain Donald, senior vice president and Americas director, global risk analysis, at Control Risks Group Holdings Ltd. in New York, said, “On the security side, global terrorism seems to be at something of a crossroads.” Efforts to control major terrorist groups have had some success, he said, though “there’s a possibility of a re-emergence of safe zones” for some of those groups.

Most emergency evacuations of traveling employees are for medical reasons, said Alex Puig, region security director-Americas, travel security services, at Control Risks’ office in Trevose, Pa. By comparison, the number of evacuations for political reasons is “extremely small,” he said.

Regarding traveling employees’ exposure to global health crises, Dr. Myles Druckman, senior vice president and medical director, Americas region medical services, at International SOS Assistance Inc. in Los Angeles, said the health care infrastructures in many of the emerging market countries that businesses are targeting lag other aspects of their development.

“You might be in an area where you’re in a five-star hotel and you might assume there’s a five-star health facility in the area but it’s a big difference,” Dr. Druckman said. Companies need to assess the local health risks in those areas, he said, then plan, train and take steps to prevent employee health issues.

Christopher Koppang, vice president, risk management, at Interstate Hotels & Resorts Inc. in Arlington, Va., said preparation is the key to addressing employee travel exposures. “We just have to have a plan in place to respond to these things when they occur,” he said.

“From a corporate standpoint we’ve got ‘go’ and ‘no go’ countries,” Mr. Koppang said, and he encouraged organizations to utilize brokers and consultants in making their plans for protecting traveling employees.