Meeting the Industry Standard BS8848

Oyster Worldwide has made sure that its placements and procedures meet the rigorous industry standards set out in BS8848.

The standard covers all aspects of our operations from staffing, placement planning and safety measures to liability insurance. Some of its key requirements are:

• vetted and well-trained staff in UK and abroad
• provision of all relevant information, accurately presented, before contract signature;
• comprehensive briefing before departure;
• a risk management system for each placement;
• excellent safety standards covering all aspects of the trip;
• written incident and emergency procedures;
• adherence to written social, environmental, behavioural and responsible travel policies;
• sound financial practice and adequate liability insurance.

Where we use the services of other companies (treks, expeditions, placements in Australia, placements at animal sanctuaries or sports foundations) we ensure that they are in line with the expectations of BS8848.

We keep our systems and placements under constant review to make sure they remain among the best in the gap year industry.