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

Key lesson: Information collation for effective planning

Key lesson: Information collation for effective planning
" Business description:"
Standard Chartered Bank, founded in 1853, is an international commercial bank focused on emerging markets in Asia, the
sub-continent, the Middle East, Africa and in Latin America. The Bank's core business is in Consumer Banking, Corporate
and Institutional Banking and Treasury, working in 570 offices in over 50 countries.
" Number of employees: 26,000

0 Contact:

Naomi Junghae
Standard Chartered Bank
1 Oldham Manbury
London
EC2V 7SV
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected]

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1. Motivation for action
The origin of Standard Chartered Bank's response to
HIV/AIDS stemmed largely from Country Managing
Directors, particularly in Africa, who experienced increased
pressures within their operations over policy decisions
regarding employees living with HIV/AIDS. This was a result
of the lack of clearly defined Group level, regional or local
human resource policies to guide managers on recruitment,
training and employee support. This was coupled with the
fact that HIV/AIDS had started to impact on the Bank's
bottom line through the loss of personnel, absenteeism,
medical and welfare costs. Moreover, Standard Chartered
Bank realised that the impact of HIV/AIDS on its various
stakeholders was likely to be significant in the future.
2. Business response to HIV/AIDS
In 1999, Standard Chartered Bank undertook a major
assessment of its branches in 45 different countries to
identify existing policies, practices and the prevalence of
HIV/AIDS. This initial assessment was extremely important
in enabling clear and informed decisions to be made and
an understanding of the priorities for action. The strategy is
based on a three step process: educate, monitor, and
manage.
The first element of the response was the development of a
clearly defined non-discriminatory HIV/AIDS policy linked to
the Bank's policy on the protection and enhancement of
human rights in the workplace and equal opportunity

regardless of colour, race, gender and ethnicity. The policy
incorporates procedures and practices in managing
individuals living with HIV/AIDS, including treating them in
the same way as those with other progressive or
dehabilitating illnesses. Importantly, while the policy and
procedures are set at the Group level for all its global
operations, they are flexible enough to enable branches to
take account of local practices, procedure, culture and
legislation.
In addition to the policy, Standard Chartered Bank initiated
a HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign in March 2000. The
objectives of the campaign are: to create awareness of the
magnitude and impact of HIV/AIDS, educate staff in order
to minimise and control the impact, and to change risky
behaviours. The initial research identified the need for
focussing on Africa in the first phase of activities, where the
impact of HIV/AIDS had been highest.
The mechanisms through which this information is
delivered include presentations by trained peer-educators
('champions') from the Bank, the distribution to staff of
handbooks covering facts on HIV/AIDS, and posters and
flyers on the 'shop-floor'. The development of the HIV/AIDS
awareness packs was undertaken in collaboration with
other companies (e.g. Levi Strauss and Glaxo Wellcome) and
NGOs, who provided advice and materials. The Bank has
subsequently made their packs available to international
and regional companies operating in Africa, including

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

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