2004 AWARDS FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE DINNER
DaimlerChrysler Atrium am Potsdamer Platz
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U2 Frontman and DATA Founder Bono Addresses the GBC Awards for Business Excellence |
Among the 500 guests were many high-ranking government officials and leaders from the corporate world and from the NGO community. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder presented the keynote address. Other guest speakers included the President of the Worldbank, James Wolfensohn, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Randall Tobias and Bono, the Founder of DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa) and lead singer of U2. Officials in attendance were German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Heidemarie Wiezcoreck-Zeul, German Minister for the Interior, Otto Schily, Executive Director of UNAIDS, Peter Piot and others.
This year, James Wolfensohn presented five Awards to companies with outstanding corporate responses designed to fight HIV/AIDS.
Tony Trahar, the Chief Executive of Anglo American, was recognized for his company's achievements in the extension of comprehensive workplace and treatment services that extended not only to Anglo American employees, but to local communities in partnership with the South African-based NGO, Love Life.
Imara Jones, Director of the Viacom HIV/AIDS Initiative, received the Award for Education and Awareness on behalf of Viacom International. The global media conglomerate is spearheading an unprecedented global initiative, Know HIV/AIDS, to raise HIV/AIDS awareness through the media. GBC honored Viacom with the Education and Awareness award for lending its powerful media assets to the fight against HIV/AIDS across the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
On behalf of Coca-Cola Egypt, Robert Lindsay, Senior Vice President of the Coca-Cola Company , accepted the Award for Excellence in the Community. Coca-Cola is confronting HIV/AIDS in Egypt - a conservative society - through a sensitive nationwide awareness campaign in partnership with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and student organizations.
The 2004 Award for Business Excellence in the Workplace went to Siemens, the international engineering and electronics company headquartered in Germany, and was received by Klaus Kleinfeld, Member of the Executive Committee. Siemens was recognized this year for their efforts focused on their South African workplace. Through peer educators, company-wide messaging, treatment access and extensive monitoring and evaluation, Siemens aims to protect all employees living with HIV/AIDS from discrimination. They are also working to ensure that their employees remain healthy and productive for as long as possible.
Vincent Maphai, Chairman South Africa, accepted the Innovation Award on behalf of BHP Billiton Southern Africa . BHP Billiton transformed their single sex hostels into community centers that service HIV/AIDS affected employees and the broader community. This response to HIV/AIDS is designed not merely to address the disease and its consequences, but to change fundamental social factors that underpin the epidemic.
PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE 2004
GBC AWARDS FOR BUSINESS EXCLENCE
April 21, 2004
Location: Haus Huth am Potsdamer Platz
Time: 6:00pm - 6:30pm
German Federal Minister, Heidemarie Wieczoreck-Zeul, GBC Chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp, GBC President and CEO Richard Holbrooke, President of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn, and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Randall Tobias
During the Press Conference, hosted by GBC Chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp and GBC President & CEO, Richard Holbrooke, the winners of the 2004 GBC Awards for Business Excellence were announced to over 60 international journalists .
The 2004 Awards went to Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Coca-Cola Egypt, Siemens and Viacom International for their unique and groundbreaking contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Instituted in 1998, GBC's Awards for Business Excellence identify and honor company HIV/AIDS programs benefiting the workplace and the wider community. The award winning companies represent cutting edge action by business in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Other speakers, who support GBC's general Mission and Awards Program included German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Heidemarie Wieczoreck-Zeul, World Bank President James Wolfensohn and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias and UNAIDS Executive Director, Peter Piot.
The Awards were presented to the companies during a high-level ceremony at the Annual GBC Awards Gala the same night.
GBC BUSINESS LEADERS MEETING
American Academy in Berlin
April 21, 2004
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
On the afternoon of April 21, 2004, a group of 40 GBC member company representatives, including CEOs of the GBC Corporate Advisory Board, met to discuss increasing the range and quality of business responses to AIDS, and to identify opportunities for greater business involvement in the global fight against the pandemic.
The meeting was chaired by GBC Chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp, Chairman of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler and GBC President and CEO, Richard Holbrooke. Also present was GBC Vice Chairman, Bertrand Collomb, Chairman of Lafarge. The meeting was also an excellent opportunity to discuss with Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Ambassador Randall Tobias, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) the unique contributions that business can bring to HIV programs, including partnerships in various multilateral and bilateral initiatives.
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GBC President and CEO, Richard Holbrooke holds up a copy of the Economist which featured a GBC Ad |
GBC President and CEO, Richard Holbrooke, GBC Chairman, Jürgen E. Schrempp and GBC Vice Chairman, Bertrand Collomb |
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From the many comments and insights brought to the discussion, there is clearly a growing momentum in the business response to AIDS moving from commitment to action. The need to further encourage our colleagues and peers in other companies to follow the leadership of the Coalition member companies at the meeting was continuously underscored, particularly the need to engage the business community in the next wave regions of Asia and Eastern Europe.
Some of the key issues raised at the meeting were:
- We are at another crucial point in the fight against this terrible disease and much more still needs to be done. Three years after the creation of GBC, business participation in the global response to AIDS has grown significantly and is now on the international agenda – Coalition members must now do all they can to ensure that it translates to effective action on the ground. The Coalition’s philosophy that a network of businesses sharing best practice as the most effective way to work with and learn from each other holds true. GBC will continue to assist companies in formulating policies and sharing their practices and experiences both successes and failures as a starting point for other companies.
- Africa should be used to help avert emerging epidemics in India, China and Russia. The Coalition should advocate with governments and multilateral donors to improve the use of funds for building capacity and infrastructure. The global HIV/AIDS epidemic needs to be kept high on the agenda of European governments, and they need to be more aware and supportive of the genuine partnership businesses can offer.
- GBC has been a strong supporter of unique and innovative joint public-private partnerships, especially those that integrate business sector investments in health with public and community efforts. Business sector contributions in the form of physical infrastructure, technical expertise and trained personnel render significant cost savings allowing for the rapid expansion of education, prevention, care and treatment services to the communities in which companies are operating. Such public-private partnerships are based on the relative merits and strengths of each sector. Such initiatives represent that industry is ready to engage. Recognizing that neither sector can do it alone, the GBC’s advocacy should promote this approach and continue to seek effective private-public partnerships with government and multilateral/bilateral donor initiatives such as the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria and PEPFAR.