Talk:International SOS

Regarding the Advert tag, please specify which elements you feel are biased. This article has been contributed to by several editors and some issues of balance, citation and appropriate language were addressed early on. It was also nominated for speedy deletion in December 2007, though this was swiftly rejected, as the request came from a user who had previously created a promotional entry for another assistance company (subsequently deleted). Letsplaydrums (talk) 10:17, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Tricare Contract
As of September 1, 2009 International SOS manages the TRICARE Contract for the United States Department of Defense. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Psaicho (talk • contribs) 06:08, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

The Tricare contract that ISOS obtained is for overseas Tricare only and there work in the Philippines has been brought into question by many beneficiaries, in particular there ability to maintain a viable database of providers and to respond to requests for assistance. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jb111o (talk • contribs) 04:37, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

Promotion
Editors from within International SOS need to be particularly careful about the language they use and the sources they cite. WP:COI Letsplaydrums (talk) 14:08, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

COI
Editors may be representing article subject. valereee (talk)

discuss first, please
please let's discuss here before you edit again. valereee (talk) 18:43, 29 July 2015 (UTC)

Happy to discuss. My edit is not so much an overhaul as it would seem - I edit the markup offline and just paste the whole lot back in. I am an employee of International SOS and have been asked by the management to update the page, seeing as the current version mis-represents the company. I have attempted to address the highlighted issues by reducing promotional tone (though I concede some remains) and citing a wider range of sources - as well as generally tidying the page.

Although a COI does exist, I don't believe that should disqualify me from making edits to the page. The company is within its rights to ensure that any information about International SOS in the public domain is factually correct. Anything I write will undoubtedly have a promotional bias, whether I wish it to or not, but the community nature of Wikipedia means that this bias will be eroded by further edits from impartial users - I wish to provide a new base from which such edits can be made. Ollieb72 (talk) 08:44, 30 July 2015 (UTC)


 * It doesn't disqualify you, but as you point out it does make it very difficult for you to be objective, and Wikipedia strongly discourages editors who have a COI from editing directly. A much better way to do it is for you to post the changes you'd like to see here on the talk page, and then once we reach some level of consensus, let another editor who doesn't have a COI do the actual posting.  (You can look at this as partially for your own personal protection, as in this case the way the page ends up is not 100% in your control and therefore you are less likely to be judged for it by your employer, and also that edits made this way are MUCH MUCH less likely to be reverted by another editor. Many editors, seeing that changes have been made by someone with an apparent COI, will simply revert completely instead of trying to re-edit.)  I am willing to work with you on this, and there will likely be other editors who are also willing to do so.  I am going to be out of town from Aug1-Aug9 camping, so I'll have extremely limited access, but if you'd like to post, section by section, the changes you'd like to see, I will do what I can before I leave.  If no other editor arrives to help while I'm gone, I'll take it back up with you when I get back. valereee (talk) 10:21, 30 July 2015 (UTC)
 * Here's the link to the policy: WP:COI valereee (talk) 10:30, 30 July 2015 (UTC)

Proposed Edits
I propose the introduction be edited to the following:


 * International SOS provides medical, clinical, and security advice and assistance to organisations with international travellers and/or operations. A privately owned company, it has over 10,000 corporate clients and serves 83% many of the Fortune Global 100 and 61% of Fortune 500 companies.


 * Hi, -- I can't get to that FT article.  My suggestions for change above to make it feel less like a press release.  valereee (talk) 12:16, 25 August 2015 (UTC)


 * Products and services include information, advice, assistance, eLearning, clinics, consulting, medical kits and safety equipment.



I believe this to be a more concise and accurate description of the company, as well as less promotional than the current intro.Ollieb72 (talk) 08:44, 25 August 2015 (UTC)

I propose the history section be edited to the following:


 * Pascal Rey-Herme, a doctor, and Arnaud Vaissié, a businessman, founded a company (then called AEA International) in 1985 to provide medical assistance services to expatriate communities and international organisations operating in Southeast Asia.


 * Over the following decade, the company grew from its base in Singapore and Indonesia into a pan-Asian corporation, with to include operations in Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and mainland China. Key c C lients included oil and gas companies with operations in remote locations.


 * In 1998, AEA International acquired International SOS Assistance, creating the largest medical assistance company in the world. For a while, it was known as AEA International SOS, and was renamed International SOS in 1999. The acquisition extended the company ’s reach in to the United States, Russia and Eastern Europe ; growth into and eventually Africa and the Middle East soon followed.


 * In addition to the geographic expansion, International SOS broadened its service offerings to include t T ravel safety and security services were added to offerings.


 * Above edits are what I suggest. valereee (talk) 12:15, 25 August 2015 (UTC)
 * I am happy with these edits, and those above. I'm not sure what to suggest regarding ft articles...whilst it is a subscription service it remains a credible source of info. What is the protocol for updating the page? Ollieb72 (talk) 12:40, 25 August 2015 (UTC)
 * Ollieb72, I'll update it. That way you can maintain the needed distance from directly editing.  The FT article I'm not too worried about; as  you say, it's a reliable source.   Another google of the title showed that it looked like there was a copy of it on the SOS website, which would be helpful for me to read for myself, but it doesn't appear to be there other than as a headline, unless you can find it somewhere there.  valereee (talk) 12:51, 25 August 2015 (UTC)



This version is more accurate and avoids citing sources multiple times.Ollieb72 (talk) 09:01, 25 August 2015 (UTC)


 * Done Let me know if I've incorrectly interpreted our discussion! Also, feel free to ping me in future -- this page is on my watchlist, but I don't check it religiously. valereee (talk) 13:05, 25 August 2015 (UTC)
 * Thank you for your support valereee. I do plan to propose further edits; I'm basically dissecting my original edit to find the most suitable parts.Ollieb72 (talk) 10:24, 27 August 2015 (UTC)

Milestones and Significant Events
I'd like to propose the inclusion of this section from my previous edit (11:54, 29 July 2015); I have removed some unnecessary promotion and un-cited/un-linked events


 * International SOS has provided medical advice, assistance and travel safety services during and after a number of major incidents in the last three decades.


 * 1998: Evacuation assistance provided during the Jakarta unrest.


 * 2000: Provided client support during a number of major sporting events including the Olympic Games in Sydney, and again in Athens (2004), Beijing (2008) and London (2012), as well as at the the 2010 Asian Games.


 * 2003: Provided medical assistance during the SARS outbreak, including utilising a portable medical isolation unit to transport infected patients.


 * 2004: Led emergency medical and security responses to the Boxing Day Tsunami, and provided longer term assistance, including the creation of the North Sumatra Relief Fund.


 * 2005: Medical assistance given in response to Hurricane Wilma.


 * 2008: Provided advice and assistance following the Mumbai terrorist attacks and helped those directly impacted by the event.


 * 2010: Dispatched a team to co-ordinate evacuations immediately following the Haiti earthquake.
 * In addition to offering assistance, the company began to position itself as a provider of preventive programs to help companies meet their duty of care obligations to employees travelling and working abroad . This initiative led to the distribution of medical and security information and alerts on-line, and developing travel preparation and risk mitigation programmes.


 * 2014: In October, during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, International SOS announced they would not transport patients with Ebola symptoms. Medical advice, equipment, and educational resources were provided during the outbreak. Resources included a dedicated website with the latest information about the virus; travel precautions; educational materials; and a free mobile phone app. Educational materials included free fact sheets about transmission, infographics, and informational videos about prevention methods. An Ebola information advertisement was also produced and aired throughout West and East Africa.


 * 2015: Assisted and provided emergency medical evacuations services for the victims of the Sabah earthquake in Malaysia.
 * Provided evacuation advice and assistance to clients during the Yemen Crisis.
 * Launched updated version of Pandemic Information, an online portal featuring information on, and analysis of, emerging infectious disease outbreaks.



Ollieb72 (talk) 08:44, 1 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Hi, Ollieb72! So one thing I think should go back into the article somewhere (and was removed in an earlier edit by not-sure-whom at this point) was a controversy over ebola evacuations or something like that --  SOS had made a statement that they couldn't evacuate from ebola areas, something like that? -- I'd added it in, and somewhere along the line it was edited back out.  I feel it's worth mentioning.  valereee (talk) 14:04, 1 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I found it, it was your revision as of 17:10, 18 October 2014. I don't see why it shouldn't be included; the citation checks out and the company is mentioned explicitly, so go for it. Do you have any comments on the edits above? Ollieb72 (talk) 11:06, 4 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks for finding that for me -- I've added it in. I think the above can go in with minor edits.  valereee (talk) 11:26, 4 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Upon further examination the source you cite for the Ebola evacuations is outdated, and the article was re-published a few days later by Reuters after a dispute with International SOS over defamation. The revised article can be found here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/11/health-ebola-evacuation-idUSL6N0S609I20141011?feedType=RSS&feedName=everything&virtualBrandChannel=11563
 * I don't know that what you've written needs altering - I'll leave that up to you - but the source should be updated Ollieb72 (talk) 13:11, 4 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Done. 17:45, 4 September 2015 (UTC)


 * I didn't include this part:


 * Provided client support during major sporting events including the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004), Beijing (2008) and London (2012); and the 2010 Asian Games

As it didn't seem to fit under '2010.' Perhaps it can be worked into 2000 instead? valereee (talk) 11:50, 4 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I agree, I've made the change above Ollieb72 (talk) 13:11, 4 September 2015 (UTC)

Okay, done. valereee (talk) 12:08, 4 September 2015 (UTC) Removed ref to prevent it staying at the bottom of the page valereee (talk) 12:10, 4 September 2015 (UTC)

logo
it would be good to get a logo -- we could use one under fair-use guidelines, but all the ones I can find seem to have a watermark except for a few that are location specific, and I assume you'd prefer to have the corporate logo correct. Would you want to see if you can upload one? valereee (talk) 17:54, 4 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I've uploaded one here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:International_SOS_logo_with_tagline.pngOllieb72 (talk) 11:24, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

Awards section
Hi, would there be any issues in adding an awards section, or is that too promotional? Ollieb72 (talk) 13:30, 15 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Hm, it might be okay...why don't you post what you had in mind here and we can take a look? valereee (talk) 13:19, 16 October 2015 (UTC)

Here is the section as it was in my original edit Ollieb72 (talk) 11:12, 20 October 2015 (UTC)

International SOS has received the following recognition and awards:

2007

*CIO Award Asia - recognised for the implementation of medical and security assistance technology.

2009

*Enterprise of the Year - Singapore Business Awards

2011

*EMMA Award for “Most Innovative Use of Technology” - Forum for Expatriate Management

2012

*EMMA Award for “Best Thought Leadership – Survey or Research Study of the Year” - Forum for Expatriate Management

*Honorable Mention for Mobilizing Business Applications - Mobile Mobilizer Awards

*Supplier Management Award - BTTB Travel Management

*Best International Healthcare Organization - Best of Tianjin

2013

*Award for Project Symphony - Asia's CIO 100 Index


 * EMMA Award for ‘Most Effective Relocation Management Strategy’ and ‘Best Practice in Challenging Locations’ - Forum for Expatriate Management

*Bronze award for Best Outsourced Contact Centre (Under 100 seats), Silver award for Most Innovative Productivity Solution, and Gold award for Best Contact Centre Trainer of the Year - Contact Centre Association of Singapore (CCAS) for Aspire services

2014


 * Finalist for Best in Business Travel Technology & Services award, Grand Prix des Lauriers


 * Finalist for Risk Management Product of the Year (Specialised) and Best Use of Technology in Risk Management - CIR Magazine

*Shortlisted for Best Business to Business Communication - European Digital Communication Awards

*Exemplary Employer of the Year - TAFEP (Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices)


 * EMMA Award for ‘Best Practice in Challenging Locations’ - Forum for Expatriate Management


 * EMMA Award for ‘Best Thought Leadership- Research or Survey’ (International SOS Foundation) - Forum for Expatriate Management

2015

*Shortlisted for EMMA Award for “Best Thought Leadership – Survey or Research Study of the Year”, and EMMA Award for “Most Innovative Use of Technology in Global Mobility” - Forum for Expatriate Management


 * Shortlisted for Best Technological Innovation in Relocation - Re:Locate Awards

*Investors in People certification, United Kingdom - Also awarded in 2004 and 2012


 * Best Specialist Business Travel Product/Provider award - Business Travel Awards

*Best Company to Work for in Asia - HR Asia


 * Well, it seems a little much...can we pare these down to the ones that are the most important and the most relevant to the field? For instance, Best company to work for probably isn't relevant to the field.  valereee (talk) 12:42, 20 October 2015 (UTC)
 * I agree. How about these? --Ollieb72 (talk) 11:05, 22 October 2015 (UTC)
 * valereee are you able to help here? Sorry to bug you but you're the only editor I'm in contact with on here. Ollieb72 (talk) 13:16, 5 November 2015 (UTC)
 * Valereee, I'd like it if we could close on this as soon as possible. If I don't hear from you by Friday I'll assume that you (along with anyone else following this discussion) are OK with these changes and I will edit directly. Ollieb72 (talk) 12:02, 17 November 2015 (UTC)


 * Ollieb72 Sorry, busy time of year IRL. I'll take a look at it when I get a chance.  valereee (talk) 11:56, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

Publications
, same question as above regarding publications. Thanks Ollieb72 (talk) 13:32, 15 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Ditto. valereee (talk) 13:20, 16 October 2015 (UTC)

original post for your consideration Ollieb72 (talk) 11:14, 20 October 2015 (UTC)

2009
 * White Paper: ‘Duty of Care of Employers for Protecting International Assignees, Their Dependents, and International Business Travellers’, written by Professor Dr Lisbeth Claus, published by International SOS.

2010
 * Briefing Paper: 'Every Ash Cloud has a Silver Lining – Lessons Learned from the 2010 Icelandic Volcano Crisis’, published by ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) Global and International SOS.

2011
 * ‘Duty of Care and Travel Risk Management Global Benchmarking Study’, written by Professor Dr Lisbeth Claus, published by International SOS.


 * I think maybe a short prose section rather than a list? valereee (talk) 12:43, 20 October 2015 (UTC)
 * See suggestion below Ollieb72 (talk) 09:54, 27 October 2015 (UTC)

International SOS has been listed as a publisher on several academic works covering research into duty of care and travel risk management. Notable publications include works by Professor Dr. Lisbeth Claus and ACTE (Association of Corporate Travel Executives) International.

Confusion with "SOS International"
The "SOS International" is also a business, so the article, to be encyclopedic, must be solve the confusion.

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