Corporates get positive

HEALTH: Companies launch initiatives on their own to raise awareness and help fight HIV/AIDS pandemic in India.

When jewellery manufacturers Goldstar Jewellery Industries lost a skilled labourer to AIDS, they decided it was time to acquaint the rest of their workers with the fatal virus.

Thus, began their HIV/AIDS awareness programme for almost 2,000 skilled workers.

Private companies today are no longer relying on external sources to educate their employees on HIV/AIDS.

As India races ahead of other nations with its bullish market, it carries with it a population that is gradually walking into the mouth of the AIDS infection and private sector is turning stones to reverse the phenomenon.

Construction major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) adopted an HIV/AIDS awareness, non-discrimination and equal opportunity policy way back in 1996. Today, not only do they have an effective programme in place for their employees, but they have also extended helping hands to small and medium scale industries near their plants.

The awareness has trickled down through L&T's peer educators programme, where a batch of 55 peers drawn from across the ranks educate their colleagues through lectures, street plays and demonstrations.

Besides educating the blue-collar employees, L&T has come up with newer strategies like quizzes and campaigns to reach out to their white-collar employees.

In fact, the company has even placed condom vending machines all over its plant. Since work population is never static, as part of its induction programme, L&T has woven HIV/AIDS awareness into the programme.

Mabel Abraham, manager, employee welfare, L&T, says, "We also have awareness programmes for employee spouses and children and even conduct workshops and camps outside the company. We believe in taking up corporate social responsibility and understand that people would feel more comfortable speaking to someone from the industry than with a government official."

Abraham goes on to notice stark change in the attitude of employees, who are now accepting and even helping their HIV positive colleagues.

InterGold India, another jewellery manufacturer, works with NGOs like World Vision to create awareness among its employees. This is done through skits that are presented in the local language.

Workers are taught the differences between HIV and AIDS, common myths are cleared and questions are answered. The company then hands out phone numbers of various councillors who befriend affected or concerned employees and talk them through their problems.

Ajay Ramchandani, deputy manager (HR), InterGold, explains, "Taking our campaign to another level, we have announced a poster contest among our workers that will culminate on December 1, World AIDS Day. Each worker has to prepare a poster on HIV/AIDS and the best will be rewarded."

The company intends to hold similar competitions once every few months to evaluate the understanding of the issue among its workers. It is also in the process of adopting the non-discrimination in the workplace towards HIV positive people policy of the Maharashtra government.

"Living with HIV" is what Standard Chartered calls its HIV/AIDS initiative. The programme is its answer to the growing pandemic that is affecting businesses all over. "Living with HIV" addresses issues of stigmatisation, care, support and positive living for positive people.

The bank currently has 35 employees, called champions, who volunteer to facilitate awareness sessions with their colleagues. In fact, the champions are encouraged to take their learning outside the company and spread awareness in the community and even in other organisations.

Neeraj Swaroop, CEO, India, Standard Chartered Bank, says, "We hope our efforts will help those who may benefit from our experiences, and from the knowledge we aim to share. We hope we can inspire both individuals and other corporations to join the fight against a disease that concerns us all."

In Chennai, for instance, champions worked with companies like Polaris and Sify, and partnered with Freedom Foundation and other local NGOs in creating an annual event at the Marina Beach with college students. In Kolkata, they worked with ITC Sheraton and in Mumbai, conducted workshops at Mahindra & Mahindra.

Not-for-profit organisations like World Vision are also continuously working with Indian corporates and corporates in India to reach as deep as possible to tackle HIV/AIDS.

Besides organising workshops and events, they have set up testing centres for the community where people can get themselves tested for HIV.

Heather Ferreira, programme manager, World Vision India, recalls having worked with Jet Airways, Star Gold, L&T, and Tata Steel.

The combined efforts of corporates and NGOs are finally bearing fruit and testimony to the fact comes from Ferreira, "Earlier we had to approach companies, now they approach us." That's a positive start.