WORKPLACE RESOURCES
Taking Action on HIV/AIDS Across the Supply Chain
A Practical Guide for Business Managers
Addressing Stigma as a Key Barrier to HIV Prevention
Interactive Monitoring & Evaluation Course
Risk Assessment: Identifying a "baseline" risk assessment of the threat posed by HIV to the company, and its impact on the workforce, is essential to devising targeted programs and to measure the success of interventions. Companies have adopted interventions such as KAPS (Knowledge, Attitude and Practices), anonymous prevalence testing campaigns and analyses of company human resource records. In particular, risks have been assessed in terms of: existing levels of HIV/AIDS within the workforce and within surrounding communities, costs to the company of HIV/AIDS-related employee absence and death (absenteeism, recruitment, training, reduced productivity), costs to the company resulting from hospitalization, home care and any existing prevention activities.
Voluntary Counseling and Testing: Quite separate from anonymous prevalence testing campaigns, the provision of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) forms the primary entry point for successful prevention and testing programs. Because of the sensitivities, need for confidentiality and potential concerns of staff, VCT can also be the hardest component of a workplace strategy to implement. Yet poor take up of VCT by staff, by definition, significantly reduces the number of staff taking advantage of other company HIV services, particularly treatment.It is therefore crucial for companies to develop active campaigns to encourage their employees to seek VCT. The companies presented here offer VCT to staff either directly through their own in-house clinical services, or through contracted out services provided confidentially either by insurance schemes or local community-based organizations. For workplace VCT campaigns to be effective, they need to be supported by active non-discrimination policies.
Care, Support and Treatment: Businesses can help their employees living with HIV/AIDS continue to contribute to the business for as long as possible, by providing a range of care and support services through company clinics or in partnership with other healthcare providers. For some, this is an extension or an expansion of existing provision - whether in-house or through health insurance - to employees and their immediate families. Services extend to the treatment of opportunistic infections, particularly TB, psycho-social support, palliative care, home-based care and HIV treatment through antiretroviral therapy.
Anti-retroviral Therapy (ARVs): A range of company programs are highlighted here, with collaborations with national government public health services, medical insurance schemes, international donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). With significant improvements in the cost and availability of antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), more and more companies are now directly treating their employees and dependents.However, cost of the drugs is not the only consideration. ARVs require ongoing monitoring and supervision by trained medical personnel with access to the necessary clinical tests. ARVs are a long-term commitment: their considerable benefits continue for only as long as they are taken. Adherence to treatment is crucial to reduce the risk of developing resistance to the medications.
The Coalition strongly advocates for the inclusion of ARVs in comprehensive workplace programs as part of strengthened international efforts to improve access to ARVs in the public sector. Private sector employers in regions heavily affected by HIV/AIDS must have access to low price medications and diagnostics that are being offered by a range of producers to the public sector.
In early 2003 the Coalition, along with Pharmaccess International and StopAIDS, hosted an expert meeting of public health officials and companies to review the progress to date in implementing company ARV programs, identifying the obstacles and challenges and how these can be overcome.
Taking Action on HIV/AIDS Across the Supply Chain
With more than 80% of the world’s employees working for small and medium-sized enterprises, engaging the supply chain provides a significant opportunity for business to accelerate its fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. GBC’s report on its 2007 Technical Sessions provides a focused tool for such engagement, including actionable recommendations for companies seeking to tackle health issues throughout the supply chain.
The report is the result of GBC’s second annual global technical sessions event in New York City on June 13th 2007, which was undertaken in partnership with Booz & Company and HSBC. Output from these sessions confirms that supply chains are seen as the next natural step for business engagement in the fight against HIV/AIDS from both a workplace and community perspective. This report provides a strong framework on which to establish and strengthen close collaboration with suppliers, build experience and share learnings.
By focusing on industries that have been particularly hard hit by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria – namely, Oil and Gas, Extractives, Clothing and Apparel and Food & Beverage
Sectors – the technical sessions were designed to benefit both companies that are already addressing these issues, as well as those interested in tackling the epidemics in their own supply chains.
The report focuses on six key points: cooperating with suppliers, distributors and other external vendors to address HIV/AIDS; engaging suppliers and distributors who comply with general industry codes; integrating HIV/AIDS program compliance into contractual arrangements with suppliers wherever possible; supporting implementation of HIV workplace programs in the supply chain network; leading partnerships with other companies and suppliers grouped by industry or geography for local HIV program roll-out; and advocating for industry sector policy on HIV practices at a global level.
» Read Taking Action on HIV/AIDS Across the Supply Chain (PDF)
A Practical Guide for Business Managers: Accelerating Access to HIV Counseling and Testing
According to UNAIDS, more than 90% of persons living with HIV/AIDS are unaware of their HIV status and do not have access to the testing services that they need. Failed early detection of HIV infection prevents any early intervention or behaviour modification which results in the pandemic spreading. Testing is important not just for introducing appropriate behaviour modification and care and treatment for people living with AIDS, but remains critical for successful prevention and treatment interventions.
Noting that Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) was not producing the desired effect of sufficient numbers of persons getting tested, GBC worked with UNAIDS and the WHO to announce a policy shift from strictly Voluntary Counselling and Testing, to an "opt-out" approach where individuals are routinely offered HIV tests (always with the ability to refuse a test if they do not want it). The principles of confidentiality, informed consent and counselling are enshrined in the policy.
GBC recognised that business can play a key role in scaling up counselling and testing, particularly amongst its employees and in the community. Employees who test will be empowered to enter into treatment programmes if they test positive, and those who test negative will be encouraged to stay negative by changes in behaviour, if necessary. The benefit to business is that absenteeism due to HIV/AIDS amongst the workers will be decreased, training and recruitment costs will be contained and employees will be enabled to continue to live productive and meaningful lives.
In order to assist business to implement Counselling and Testing in the workplace, GBC convened a working group of seven South African member companies who are active in the field of HIV/AIDS. The working group pooled their expertise and compiled a practical guideline which will guide the business manager through the process of implementing a Counselling and Testing programme. The guideline is targeted primarily at businesses with large workforces located in South Africa and the South African Development Community.
The document addresses the counselling and testing process by offering guidance on stakeholder buy-in and behaviour change principles. It addresses the counselling and testing process in depth, guiding the business manager through the process and highlighting some of the pitfalls. Implementation of workplace prevention and care support and treatment programs are not addressed in these guidelines, but the counselling and testing programme is viewed as part of comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS in the workplace that brings together all of these programme elements.
Business has a critical role to play in putting interventions in place to halt the spread of the virus. It is hoped that this guideline will assist companies to implement C&T programmes in the workplace and in this way, contribute to a healthier and happier workforce.
» Read A Practical Guide for Business Managers: Accelerating Access to HIV Counseling and Testing (PDF)
Addressing Stigma as a Key Barrier to HIV Prevention
Stigma is a key barrier to effective implementation of HIV/AIDS intervention programmes and the Roundtable on addressing stigma was arranged to exchange learnings and insights on stigma and discrimination.
Once established stigma, a societal phenomenon, cannot easily be wiped away and fears, beliefs and attitudes have to be challenged and gradually changed. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS is a real barrier to effective interventions and can hamper the communication of prevention messages, undermine efforts at behaviour change including abstinence, fidelity and condom use; and finally, it can diminish access to VCT, care and treatment.
Stigma and discrimination is counter productive for business. Whether woven into company policies or unintentional, stigma can be pervasive in the workplace and discriminatory HIV practices hamper company operations and compromise employee health. Stigma reduces labour supply and also lowers workforce morale and diminishes the work environment. In addition, stigma threatens employee health and curtails the potential benefits of a company’s HIV/AIDS workplace programme.
The Roundtable was designed to present a viewpoint on stigma and discrimination from three different sets of experiences in terms of AIDS, namely, those of a PLWA (person living with AIDS) who travels widely, a Group Manager of HIV/Aids in the workplace, and to share the learnings of pilot research projects on Stigma that had been implemented in Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Zimbabwe, and South Africa by SAHARA (Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance).
» Read Addressing Stigma as a Key Barrier to HIV Prevention (PDF)
Interactive Monitoring & Evaluation Course
The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) is proud to present its interactive course on Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs.
GBC member companies have identified Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as an area where more business-focused knowledge, skills and resources are necessary for improved program development. In response to these needs, GBC developed its first ever interactive Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programs course, working in close collaboration with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and with support from GlaxoSmithKline French Business Foundation, Deloitte Consulting, and ZMQ Software Systems.
Currently being piloted, the interactive course is an important resource for all companies. It provides companies with the background and technical tools to measure workplace policy and program impact; assesses the quality of care for company employees; and benchmarks programs against industry best practices. Through GBC’s expanded network and partnerships with GTZ and National Business Coalitions around the world, the interactive course will provide critical quantitative and qualitative data to companies planning and implementing HIV/AIDS workplace programs.
We would also like to invite GBC member companies who are interested in applying the tools and resources found in the interactive course to contribute to its continuous improvement by:
1. Applying this interactive course to your company’s workplace program
2. Evaluating the course’s usability, application, and pedagogy
To find out more about how this interactive course can assist your company, please contact Erick Maville at emaville@gbcimpact.org or call at +33 1 44 34 9215.
» Read the M&E Press Release (English) (PDF)
» Read the M&E Press Release (French) (PDF)
» Read a message from Ambassador Holbrooke about the M&E Tool (English) (PDF)
» Read a message from Ambassador Holbrooke about the M&E Tool (French) (PDF)
| The Monitoring and Evaluation interactive Course was developed with the support of: |
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