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U.S. Business Motivated to Tackle HIV/AIDS

Posted on: Thursday, 12 January 2006, 12:00 CST

GENEVA, Jan. 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Concern over the growing threat of HIV/AIDS is rising among U.S. businesses, according to a report just released by amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and the World Economic Forum. Nearly half (49 percent) of U.S. business leaders surveyed in the report, released today by the Forum's Global Health Initiative, say they expect the disease to have some impact on their operations over the next five years.

The response of American firms to HIV/AIDS has been more concerted than in many other high-income countries. Twenty-five percent have an informal policy and 11 percent a formal program (the high-income averages are 14 percent and 5 percent respectively).

"The average business has not formally assessed the risks it faces, even though it has growing fears about what the future holds," said David Bloom, professor of Economics and Demography at the Harvard School of Public Health and a member of amfAR's Board of Trustees. "In contrast, leading businesses have measured their exposure to the AIDS epidemic and put formal policies in place to protect their employees, shareholders and communities."

Professor Bloom said that the businesses surveyed, which included many of the world's biggest companies in 117 countries, were in an exceptional position to reduce the stigma associated with the disease. "Business approaches to HIV/AIDS can take the epidemic out of the shadows, which is where it thrives," he said.

The amfAR survey, part of the report, unveils new research into the triggers for U.S.-based business involvement to tackle HIV/ AIDS. For more than a quarter of the US firms surveyed, HIV/AIDS policies cost them less than $500,000. Most of these firms expect their spending on HIV/AIDS prevention (15 percent) and treatment (21 percent) to rise in the next five years.

The amfAR findings reveal that U.S.-based businesses would be open to expanding their HIV/AIDS programs if:

-- The virus posed a threat to customer base and distribution chains (61 percent)

-- Their supply chains were hit (56 percent)

-- Workforce HIV prevalence rose above 1 percent in the next five years (49 percent)

-- AIDS philanthropy was shown to boost their firm's reputation (43 percent)

"HIV and AIDS is the defining moral issue of our time and businesses must play a critical role in the fight against the global spread of the epidemic. The business community is uniquely positioned to use our influence, resources and leadership to challenge stigma, promote prevention and facilitate treatment," said William H. Roedy, president of MTV Networks International and an UNAIDS Ambassador. "There is no choice, no option. We must all be engaged and mobilized."

The U.S. findings are one section of the World Economic Forum report 'Business & HIV/AIDS: A Healthier Partnership?' ( http:// www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/ Global(plus)Health(plus)Initiative(percent)5CGHI(plus) Global(plus)Business(plus)Survey ) (see note), which polls the views of almost 11,000 business leaders in 117 countries and shows that:

-- Concern is rising about the expected impact of HIV/AIDS on firms' operations over the next five years (46 percent compared to 37 percent last year)

-- The majority of firms where national HIV prevalence exceeds 1 in 5 have formal HIV/AIDS policies (58 percent)

-- Policies addressing the issues of discrimination in promotion, pay or benefits based on HIV status are rare (18 percent)

The challenge now facing these businesses is to convert this concern into programs that are strong enough to control the impact of the disease on their business. The report highlights that the majority of policies need to be strengthened to cover the minimization of stigma, the promotion of non-discrimination based on HIV-status, and the advent of support systems to assist employees in gaining access to antiretroviral treatments. Policies must do more than focus solely on HIV prevention.

The report was published by the Global Health Initiative of the World Economic Forum, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Harvard School of Public Health and UNAIDS. The findings build on the results of the two previous annual Business & HIV/AIDS reports published in 2004 and 2005, providing the largest ever insight into global commitment of the private sector to HIV/AIDS.

To download a full copy of the report please visit http:// www.weforum.org/globalhealth/globalsurvey

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NOTE: Business & HIV/AIDS: A Healthier Partnership? A Global Review of the Business Response to HIV/AIDS 2005-2006. Bloom DE, Bloom LR, Steven D and Weston M (December 2005).

EDITOR'S NOTE:

About Business & HIV/AIDS: A Healthier Partnership?

The report draws on data from:

-- The 2005-2006 Executive Opinion Survey conducted by the World Economic Forum as part of its annual Global Competitiveness Report;

-- Case studies of business action on HIV/AIDS developed by the World Economic Forum's Global Health Initiative;

-- A survey of 150 US business leaders commissioned by The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

The latest survey was conducted between January and May 2005. It polled the views of 10,993 business leaders from 117 countries. This report builds on the findings of the 2003-2004 report -- 'Business & HIV/AIDS: Who Me?' -- and the 2004-2005 report -- 'Business & HIV/AIDS: Commitment and Action?'

Based on the findings and more than 20 strong HIV/AIDS workplace programs already established by companies working with the Global Health Initiative, the report provides seven key recommendations for business:

-- Assess the threat -- firms with robust data about the extent and nature of the virus's impact on them are likely to be better placed to develop an appropriate response.

-- Develop a response -- firms with policies are more confident about their ability to fend off the threat of the virus.

-- Start in the workplace -- the workforce is both the most accessible target audience for companies and the one that has the most immediate effect on the bottom line.

-- Link up with others -- many of the most effective business HIV/ AIDS policies have been developed in conjunction with partners.

-- Address stigma -- by implementing non-discrimination policies, businesses are well placed to tackle the stigma that allows HIV/ AIDS to flourish.

-- Look to the long-term -- people infected with HIV will eventually need antiretroviral drug treatment to control AIDS.

-- Monitor and evaluate programs -- uptake and effectiveness of programs should be regularly assessed.

About amfAR

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world's leading nonprofits organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $233 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.

About the Global Health Initiative of the World Economic Forum

The goal of the Global Health Initiative (GHI) of the World Economic Forum is to facilitate and stimulate greater business engagement in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. To achieve this goal, the GHI works closely with the World Economic Forum's member companies as well as UNAIDS and the World Health Organization's Stop TB and Roll Back Malaria partnerships. A broad range of NGOs and other members of civil society, as well as governments, have also joined the efforts of the GHI. The GHI provides a unique platform for dialogue, partnership and action on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria involving both the private and the public sector. It coordinates a community of more than 230 companies that are confronting similar fundamental health challenges to their operations. In particular, the GHI provides a forum to share experiences, to define generally accepted standards and to act as an advocate for the private sector. For further information please go to http://www.weforum.org/globalhealth

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for- profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. The Forum is under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Government. ( http://www.weforum.org )

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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