UNAIDS and Anglo American, one of the world’s largest mining companies, have announced a public–private sector partnership to promote HIV testing worldwide.

Since the early days of the HIV epidemic, Anglo American has experienced first-hand the impact that HIV and tuberculosis (TB) have had on its employees, their families and their communities. For the past three decades, Anglo American has been at the forefront of developing a comprehensive business sector response to HIV and TB. Today, it has a world-class workplace programme offering free HIV testing, counselling and antiretroviral therapy for its employees and their dependents. Anglo American encourages all employees to know their HIV status.

The Sustainable Development Goals provide a new opportunity for the business sector to engage further in the global AIDS response as a powerful, influential and effective partner. Forward-looking companies, like Anglo American, have already demonstrated success in addressing some of the major challenges raised by HIV and TB through business-led ventures that are impactful, scalable, measurable, replicable and go beyond “business as usual”.

During the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, in July 2016, a UNAIDS and Anglo American initiative to promote HIV testing reached over 6 million people via social media channels and got over 100 000 “protests” on the ProTest HIV website—www.protesthiv.org. In the run up to this year’s World AIDS Day, 1 December, Anglo American is encouraging all its employees to get tested for HIV and to engage in activities that will help to raise awareness on HIV testing worldwide.

Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 will only be achieved by working together. This new partnership demonstrates the power of collective action in mobilizing people around the world.