South Africa has begun to explore how best to involve people living with HIV/AIDS in making more effective workplace responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This Case Study reports on a pilot programme—the GIPA Workplace Model—which has been developed over the past four years with United Nations support. The project’s aim is to place trained fieldworkers, living openly with HIV/AIDS, in selected partner organizations in different sectors (government departments, private companies and corporations) so that they could set up, review or enrich workplace policies and programmes.

In many respects, Botswana is Africa’s success story. It is peaceful, democratic and prosperous. But it also has the worst AIDS epidemic in the world, with an adult prevalence rate estimated at 35.8%. This case study describes the response to this tragedy (which threatens to reverse all the country’s gains of the past decades) of one of the most important companies in Botswana—the Debswana diamond-mining company. The company started with an AIDS education and awareness programme, appointed full-time AIDS programme coordinators and developed an HIV/AIDS management policy. It conducted an institutional audit of susceptibility and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, which is reported in some detail, together with findings and lessons learned. Debswana’s work on HIV/AIDS represents a ray of hope in a bleak situation and has much to teach the private sector in the region and, perhaps, globally.

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide National AIDS Councils (or equivalent) with technical guidance on how to measure the revised list of core indicators for the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, adopted by Member States of the United Nations during the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001. These guidelines provide technical guidance on the detailed specifi cations of the core indicators, on the information required and the basis of their construction, and on their interpretation. The guidelines also aim to maximize the validity, internal consistency and comparability across countries and over time of the indicator estimates obtained. In particular, the guidelines aim to ensure consistency in the types of data and methods of calculation employed.

Access to treatment in the private-sector workplace; the provision of antiretroviral therapy by three companies in South AfricaAntiretroviral therapy (ART) is having a huge impact on the lives of those who have access to it. For them, AIDS has become a manageable condition rather than a death sentence. However, for the vast majority of people living with HIV, nothing has changed because neither they nor their countries’ health-care systems can afford to pay for antiretroviral therapy.One source of hope comes from the business sector. The workplace—both private and public—provides many opportunities for extending access to treatment, through occupational health schemes and health insurance schemes. A number of companies now have experience in providing antiretroviral therapy for their employees (and, in some cases, also for dependants). Given the impact of the epidemic, there is a clear economic advantage for companies in offering employees access to treatment and in demonstrating a strong corporate responsibility.After a brief description of the important components of workplace programmes on HIV/AIDS, this case study features three companies in South Africa that are providing antiretroviral therapy to their employees: AngloAmerican, BHP Billiton and Eskom. Detailed descriptions are given of the companies’ antiretroviral therapy and care-and-support programmes, with an analysis of their differing approaches and shared challenges. Public health provision should be strengthened, not undermined, by the contribution of the private sector to HIV and AIDS treatment. The companies profi led in this report are working with government, communities and civil society to extend treatment nationwide, through various projects and programmes and by setting an example of sustainable access to treatment and care.

Thisa is a collection of case studies from UNAIDS. This summary cannot fully capture the diverse range of partnerships that the UNAIDS secretariat and its cosponsors have initiated with the private sector. It is a first attempt to collect stories that highlight just a few of the ways in which we work with this important constituency. The talent, resources, experience and commitment of business must play a central role in designing, implementing and promoting effective responses to HIV. UNAIDS is committed to further engaging with the private sector as a long-term partner in the response to AIDS at global and local levels.

Being part of an effective response generates goodwill and demonstrates a company’s commitment to good corporate citizenship and to the well-being of its employees, customers and communities. There are many ways for businesses to contribute to the AIDS response. From the largest multinational corporations to the smallest enterprises, companies can choose the type and level of participation that suit their strengths. While models for partnership are practically limitless, possible activities include workplace programmes, advocacy, cash and in-kind donations.

The Far Away From Home Club is an example of success in the response to HIV in Viet Nam. A combination of dedicated, energetic, and forward-looking individuals and a strong yet flexible project structure resulted in a comprehensive prevention project for migrant and mobile populations in Can Tho City.

The role of the workplace in providing universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support