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SA firms take lead in Aids fight
17 December 2003
A new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that South African companies are doing more than most when it comes to the fight against HIV/Aids.
The report, Business and HIV/Aids: Who me?, presents findings from the first global survey of business leaders' opinions on and responses to the threat of the pandemic.
A total of 7 789 high-level executives from companies in 103 countries were asked how concerned they were about HIV/Aids, how the pandemic was affecting their business, and what they were doing to combat it.
Companies worldwide 'not particularly active'
What emerged from the study is that companies worldwide are not particularly active in combating the crisis, that they make decisions based on a "fairly patchy assessment" of the risks they face, and that they seem to favour a "broad social response" to HIV/Aids, even if only a small number of businesses currently see themselves as an
integral part of that response.
The study, jointly undertaken by the United Nations agency UNAids and the Harvard School of Public Health, found that few companies had written policies on HIV, that most discriminated against those who were HIV-positive - and yet, that most believed their policies and responses were satisfactory.
Less than 6% of the companies interviewed provided antiretroviral drugs for their employees, and only 15% had a policy that did not compel employees to disclose their HIV status.
South Africa in the top six
However, according to Business Day, 43% of the 60 South African companies interviewed had written HIV policies. This places SA among the top six, where more than 20% of firms have such policies.
Kate Taylor, a medical doctor who manages the WEF's Global Health Initiative, told Business Day that the challenge for South African firms was to extend the reach of
their HIV interventions to communities where their employees lived and to those who worked in supplier industries.
In what ways can large companies make a difference in combating the disease? First, they can put in place management structures that can distribute anti-HIV/Aids drugs and administer them. Second, they can create corporate cultures in which the stigma of HIV is removed so that its impact can be monitored. Third, they can change employment practices that encourage its spread, such as migrant labour.
South African companies became involved in the battle against HIV/Aids once they realised that their employees could not be immune to a disease that affects up to 40% of the overall population. While most epidemics affect the old and the children, HIV/Aids afflicts people of working age.
Homegrown examples
Some examples of initiatives to tackle HIV/Aids involving South African companies:
- Mining giant Anglo American
and power utility Eskom are pooling resources such as clinics and skilled personnel in the "coal or power belt", a region stretching over 500 kilometres where both companies have mines and power plants.
- DaimlerChrysler's operation in East London has existing clinics, and they already share their healthcare staff with public sector services.
- Banking group Absa has also been involved in a number of initiatives to fight the pandemic, such as the initiative launched on World Aids Day this year inviting the public to donate their small change to raise awareness of the impact of HIV/Aids on children and caregivers.
- Earlier this year, mining corporations, labour groups and the government agreed on principles to fight Aids, including improved education and living conditions, as well as support for HIV-positive workers and their families.
- Nine global companies with operations in developing countries - Anglo American, Bristol-Myers Squibb, ChevronTexaco,
DaimlerChrysler, Eskom, Heineken, Lafarge, Pfizer and Tata Steel – recently announced that they will use their facilities, employees and other infrastructure to expand workplace HIV/Aids prevention and treatment programmes into communities where they operate.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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