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HIV can present enormous
challenges to businesses. If affects workers, managers and markets.
Business face increased costs - medical and other benefits, recruitment, and
training - and lower productivity due to absenteeism, labor turnover, and
loss of experienced personnel. Recognizing that AIDS is a business
issue as well as a development and humanitarian concern, the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank group,
promotes private sector involvement in responding to the epidemic.
Since 2000, the IFC Against AIDS program has worked with more than 30
companies in Africa and South Asia to develop, implement, and manage
effective HIV/AIDS programs in their workplaces and surrounding communities.
In Africa, the program has trained 30 small businesses in Kenya, South
Africa and Mozambique on how to mitigate the impact of HIVAIDS on the
operations. In India, four client companies (covering about 20 sites
across the country) are matching the funds they receive through IFC,
addressing HIV in their workplaces, clinical facilities and communities at
risk. In the Russian Federation, IFC Against AIDS has initiated a
study on using workplaces as venues for health messaging, and to show how
employee health affects companies' bottom line. The Bank also
co-sponsored a Business Summit on HIV in Russia. Our HIV lending and
grants have also supported business coalitions on HIV/ADS in 25 African
countries. In St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, the private sector
co-sponsors activities our funding supports, such as the Jazz festival and
Carnival, weaving information on HIV and AIDS into the festivities.
For further information see:
www.ifc.org/ifcagainstaids |
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