According to a 2005 World Economic Forum (WEF) survey of 117 countries, 46% of executives expressed concern over the impact of HIV/AIDS on their operations. Yet only 9% of firms had conducted a quantitative HIV/AIDS risk assessment, only 18% had policies addressing discrimination (in terms of promotion, pay or benefits) based on HIV status.
The report concluded that businesses need to develop robust HIV/AIDS programmes to address discrimination and access to treatment as root problems.
Also See
HIV/AIDS awareness posters (1 and 2)
CII/IBT’s HIV/AIDS policy for industry (PDF)
The majority of firms (58%) in areas where national HIV prevalence exceeds one in five persons have formal HIV/AIDS policies. Where prevalence drops below this figure, though, very few firms (20%) have a policy; if there is one, it is more likely to be informal. In India, low risk does not translate into low numbers. At the India Economic Summit in 2006, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss noted the 0.92% prevalence rate represented 5.2 million people.
HIV strikes at work
We stand at the tipping point on the HIV/AIDS epidemic scale. Close to four in every 1,000 adult Indians are estimated to be infected—according to government-run National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). It would appear to be obvious that workplace interventions are now necessary.
After all, HIV/AIDS is most prevalent in the age group that comprises the economically active population. Statistics from Population Services International (PSI)—a non-profit social marketing organization based in Washington, DC, that also works with Indian companies—say 90% of the population affected by HIV/AIDS is in the 15-49 age group.
“HIV/AIDS is a workplace issue as it affects people in the prime of their working life—it can adversely affect workers and their families, enterprise performance and national economies,” says S. Mohammed Afsar, technical specialist (HIV/AIDS), South Asian region, International Labour Organization (ILO).
Which is why workplaces provide an ideal entry point for prevention and care programmes. “Some Indian workplaces have realized this, but workplace response to HIV/AIDS needs to be strengthened,” adds Afsar.
Also Read Corporate initiatives on HIV/AIDS
Figures up to November show 12 companies (Gujarat Ambuja Cement Ltd, PepsiCo, SRF Group, Ballarpur Group of Industries Ltd, Transport Corp. of India Ltd, Apollo Tyres Ltd, Crompton Greaves Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (northern region), Jubilant Organosys, SAB Miller, JK Tyres Ltd, and Sona Koyo Steering Ltd) signed on for the ILO-corporate group partnership programme, covering 1,23,441 workers (including 64,506 contractual workers). Each company commits to a workplace policy, and to take up the programme at all locations, to reach at least 5,000 employees (including contracted workers).