50. Duty of Care with Rebecca Maudling

Ever wonder how aid workers can stay safe in some of the world’s most dangerous environments? 

Rebecca Maudling, is on a mission to make sure humanitarian staff not only survive but feel confident and equipped to do their work safely — even in the toughest conditions. From co-founding an organization that helps NGOs work more safely, to reshaping how we think about mental health in crisis zones, Rebecca's insights on duty of care are hard earned. Stay tuned to the end to hear her big news about an exciting event coming up. 

Today’s Guest

Rebecca is Co-Founder & Director of International Location Safety (ILS). She co-founded the organization, growing it from a start-up to its current position as a leading provider of security risk management services within the humanitarian aid and development sector. ILS supports organizations globally to meet their Duty of Care obligations and enable their staff to work in challenging situations around the world. As the business has grown, she has built up a fantastic team and so although now less involved in the day-to-day running of the business, she retains strategic oversight and a passion for supporting organizations to protect and care for their staff. 

Key Topics Discussed:

• Embodying Change: Courage to challenge the status quo and live in alignment with personal values

• The ILS Origin Story: How Rebecca and her co-founder started ILS to provide safety and security training for humanitarian organizations

• The Core Services of ILS: Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), which is simulation-based safety, security and first aid training for staff working in complex environments, and Duty of Care Benchmarking, which assesses organizational practices around to ensuring the safety, security and well-being of staff in high-risk environments

• Psychological Well-being: How ILS integrates psychological safety into their training and organizational support

• Sector Trends: Growing awareness of mental health and well-being in the humanitarian sector

• AidEx 2024: Highlights of the upcoming Duty of Care Pavilion, including sessions on safeguarding, AI, crisis management, and LGBTQ+ inclusion in duty of care practices

Key Takeaway:
Rebecca emphasizes the importance of connection—both to oneself and to others—in sustaining well-being, especially in high-pressure environments like humanitarian work.

Connect with ILS:

• Website: https://www.locationsafety.com/

• ILS Duty of Care conference: https://www.locationsafety.com/aidex-2024

• AidEx website: