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

Guide #5 Partnerships on HIV/AIDS have not been rigorous in monitoring and
Use stakeholder-based research
evaluating the outcomes of activities, which may conserve resources in the
as a feedback mechanism for
keeping track short term but limits the effectiveness in relation to scale-up, replication and
refinement. This is particularly important given the dynamic nature of the
disease and the complex variables influencing its spread and level of impact.
Setting short-term and long-term objectives may help this process by allowing regular feedback on the
progress of the partnership. The benefit of such a process is that lessons can be learned and adaptations
can be continually made to improve the partnership's effectiveness.
While partnerships are advocated as being beneficial, their effectiveness is notoriously difficult to
measure. The assumption is that more is achievable by collaborating on shared objectives. However,
there is very little empirical evidence on measuring the impact of partnerships, whether negative or
positive, in terms of achieving agreed objectives. The research that does exist points to the value of
partnerships where concrete outcomes can be measured.4
A CALL FOR ACTION
This publication reiterates the business case for a response to HIV/AIDS, identifying the real impacts
that it has on the economic bottom line. If business is to have any significant influence over the
prevention of HIV/AIDS in the workplace and amongst its stakeholders, it has to act early and engage
in genuine activities that go beyond mere public relations exercises in order to maximise the efficacy of
its intervention and awareness programmes. HIV/AIDS has no barriers and will continue to impact on
current and future business operations and markets if responses remain localised, uncoordinated and
low-key affairs. HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention have to be positioned at the core of the business
strategy of any forward thinking company. The private sector, for reasons identified in this publication,
is uniquely positioned to respond to the epidemic given the vast intellectual, resource and financial
capital it has at its disposal.
This publication does not attempt to provide a standard model or overall solution to combating the
impact of HIV/AIDS on business and its stakeholders. One of the biggest mistakes in the development
of appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS is the attempt to blindly scale up and replicate successful models
across geographical, social and cultural boundaries. Business is more aware than any other sector of the
concept that what "sells" in one market may not be a best seller in the next. The advice, guidance and
good practice examples contained within this publication can be used as a toolkit for constructive,
effective and cost-cutting responses to HIV/AIDS. However, it is not an instruction manual. It is
necessary to build appropriate partnerships and structures through innovative and creative approaches.
Business cannot afford to ignore the reality of a disease that has the potential to destroy the very
foundations on which it is built, namely human capital.
1. Nelson, J & Zadek, S (2000) "Partnership Alchemy: New Social Partnerships in Europe", The Copenhagen Centre.
2. Guides 1-5 are taken from "Golden Rules for Managing Cross-sector Partnerships" in Tennyson, R (1998), Managing
Partnerships, The Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum.
3. Pisani, E (1999) "Acting early to prevent AIDS: The case of Senegal", UNAIDS.
4. The Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum has conducted innovative research on the effectiveness of cross-sector
partnerships, assessing 50 multinational corporations, in Jane Nelson's (1998) "Building competitiveness and communities"

in collaboration with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme. Also in collaboration with the
World Bank, they have conducted research across four continents on measuring the impact of partnership structures and
have developed evaluation tools to measure the effectiveness of partnerships, "Measuring Impact" PWBLF/WB (2000).

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