The Business Response to HIV/AIDS: Impact and lesson learned

More innovative and efficient resource commitments from business occur when they link responses to
their core business activities and skills, such as marketing and public relations companies providing
pro-bono assistance. A good example of this is ALMS of the Czech Republic (see Profile 12) which
has used its information technology skills to design an HIV/AIDS information website. Another
example is Halus Sutera, a printing company in Malaysia, which provided printing services for
HIV/AIDS organisations, publications and campaigns.
Other non-finance resources that business can contribute at minimal extra cost include the sharing of
data on infection rates amongst the workforce, accurate and concentrated statistics that do not breach
confidentiality. These can be invaluable to the public sector and NGOs, particularly in developing
countries where reliable statistics are hard to gather. Additionally, the simple process of sharing
experience and materials on HIV/AIDS policy, and programmes with other businesses and NGOs is
a substantial contribution that can be made to all sectors in the response to HIV/AIDS (see
Workplace Tool on page 22). This has the effect of saving time, one of the highest costs to business,
by avoiding duplication. Moreover, the human resource developments undertaken by business in
response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace, such as training educators and healthcare specialists, can be
used to facilitate the extension of education and prevention into local communities.
In areas of weak, corrupt or moribund governments the private sector can often be the only source of
health care to communities. However, this should not be at the cost of undermining public health
services. A more effective intervention strategy is often to work in partnership to build the capacity of
the public services to deliver health messages and care more effectively. The importance of this is that
the public sector is often operative and has networks outside the sphere of business influence,
particularly in rural areas, where in the developing world the majority of the population lives. These
people constitute the future labour pool and markets for business.
ii. Public Sector
The strengths of the public sector lie in its potential ability to bring an overview to the responses to
HIV/AIDS and to act as a conduit for information sharing at local, national and international levels.
The resources available differ quite substantially from country to country, but include physical and
social infrastructure (e.g. health care, education, transport, communications), regulatory authority
(e.g. legislation on HIV/AIDS policies) and political influence (e.g. mobilisation of support amongst
the general public). Senegal, West Africa, is an example of the successful use of these public sector
resources. Through a combination of early and significant political leadership, regulation
(e.g. reducing tax on condoms) and financial commitments, the government is seen as being
one of the major players in contributing to the country having one of the lowest HIV infection
rates in sub-Saharan Africa.
Intergovernmental agencies, such as UNAIDS and the World Bank, can provide the intellectual and
financial capital to enable effective and widespread responses to HIV/AIDS. Either through the
monitoring of HIV/AIDS and the supply of specialist knowledge or through the provision of
substantial financial assistance, intergovernmental agencies have a unique contribution to make to
partnerships. Their ability to mobilise and coordinate actions in partnership with all other sectors is
illustrated with the example of the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa (see Profile 16).
This initiative is spearheaded by the United Nations, using its worldwide network of contacts and
expertise to bring together African governments, donor countries, intergovernmental agencies, private
sector, unions and civil society organisations.
iii. NGOs
In terms of cash resources and full-time employees, NGOs and community-based organisations
(CBOs) are smaller than their public and private sector counterparts. However, they are public
interest organisations with considerable social and political influence. They have the credibility that
comes from working closely with those most affected by the epidemic. Often, NGOs understand

38 THE BUSINESS RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS: Impact and lessons learned