South Africa – a country where HIV/AIDS threatens to wipe out close to half of the economically active population in the next ten years is also, sadly, one in which there is widespread denial that HIV/AIDS exists. It is, therefore, refreshing to come across large companies that are making it their business to educate and assist the workforce.

Ford Motor Company of South Africa can certainly be hailed as a leader in this field and the company’s proactive intervention programme should serve as inspiration to other large corporates who should also be embarking upon similar initiatives.

Director of Corporate and Public Affairs for Ford, Craig von Essen said that the policy was formulated in 1999 as a direct result of, “the significance of the HIV/AIDS pandemic as brought to the fore-front by the UNAIDS report of 1998. This report showed that 70% of all infections occurred in sub-Saharan countries in Africa. This signified an opportunity for Ford to embark on an intervention programme.”

He added that the projected impact of the pandemic on Ford as an employer in the South African Motor Manufacturing Industry was fully realised at the Company’s Executive Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) Committee level. He said, “furthermore, it was very clear that precious little was being done by either the South African Government or business in general, that could make any meaningful difference.”

As a result, Ford set up a steering committee to deal with the issue. Von Essen said, “the initiative to embark on a constructive programme to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic was met with spontaneous enthusiasm by all in-company stakeholders and role players, at all levels of employees, management and unions. As a result the Steering committee was established and it now meets on a monthly basis.”

Once the committee was up and running, a Company Policy Statement was drawn up to ensure that consistency and fairness would be applied to all affected employees. The Company then took things a step further and developed HIV/AIDS educational materials, such as a manual for Peer Educators and an Employee Handbook. Two HIV/AIDS Program Co-ordinators were appointed and 40 HIV/AIDS Peer Educators were trained.

Once this had been formalised, the company kicked the project into high gear and presented HIV/AIDS awareness and training to all employees by shutting down all company operations for an afternoon of training. Von Essen said that this included an industrial theatre play and presentations by senior dignitaries, the CEO and people living with AIDS.

Not satisfied with just reaching employees, the Steering Committee arranged an HIV/AIDS Awareness Family Day where employees, their spouses and dependants were all invited to attend a fun filled educational day.

The company also modified its benefits programme to promote disclosure of employees living with AIDS through additional medical cover by an “AID for AIDS’ programme. Condom dispensing machines were also decentralised resulting in an increase in usage from 7000 per month to over 17 000 per month.

A truly inspirational aspect of the programme is the training of on-site medical nursing staff in best practice clinical protocols for identification and treatment of STD’s and related opportunistic diseases and the facilitation of on-site testing. Nursing staff who provide the testing, have been trained in pre- and post-test counseling.

Von Essen said that the company hosted an HIV/AIDS seminar for other employees in the Automobile Manufacturing Industry to provide leadership on workplace initiatives and to establish best practices.

Ford is also heavily involved in sponsoring and attending community-based events with HIV/AIDS as the theme, in areas where employees reside.

When asked for advice for other companies wishing to embark on similar initiatives, von Essen said, “it is essential that the CEO of the organisation supports the programme. Without CEO involvement and ongoing support the programme will undoubtedly fail. It is important that Labour Unions also be involved throughout the whole process.”