Business Coalition expands services on HIV/AIDS

Over 50 CEOs and Business Heads congregated at the Cinnamon Grand recently for the second General Assembly of the Sri Lanka Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS (SLBCH).

Business heads representing Multinationals, large local corporates and SMEs, leading HIV/AIDS advocates, NGOs and officials from Government institutions came forward to reaffirm their commitment to HIV awareness, with the objective of maintaining a low prevalence environment in Sri Lanka.

The meeting which was chaired by American Ambassador in Sri Lanka Robert O Blake, and showcased the resource pool of trainers that member organizations would have access to, including Standard Chartered Bank's HIV Champions, John Keel Holdings CSR Champions, ILO and Labour Ministry Trainers.

The coalition is also driving Sri Lanka's business sector to implement much needed HIV Work Place Policies throughout their organisations.

The policy would provide a framework for action to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, avoid stigma towards those living with the disease and manage its impact on the labour force.

The coalition provides awareness training sessions and customized policy development services at no cost to the organisations. It also provides a platform for centers of expertise, resources and material to be shared.

Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank and Chairman of the SLBCH, Clive Haswell, said, "Sri Lanka is the only low prevalence country to have a Business Coalition and it is essential that the SLBCH maintains its pro activity when dealing with this epidemic in a country that has the right combination for it to swell to epidemic proportions: poverty and war.

We as the business leaders of Sri Lanka must provide our commercial sectors, from large corporates to even the SMEs, the support they need, as most of our at-risk population is in the workforce, amongst our migrant workers and garments sector."

"The advantages of issuing an HIV Workplace Awareness Certification to organisations that are looking for more ways to align themselves to Global standards of awareness on this illness is something that Sri Lanka could consider," said Dr. Anthony Pramaulratana, Guest Speaker at the event.

Dr. Pramaulratana is the Executive Director of the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS, which is responsible for running the Thailand's national 'World of Work' HIV training throughout the country.

The Business Coalition emerged as a result of the eighth International Congress on AIDS in the Asia Pacific (ICCAP) that was held in Sri Lanka in August of 2007.

Spearheaded by Standard Chartered Bank the coalition brought together Business leaders in Sri Lanka for the first time to discuss their united response to the global epidemic.

Partnering the corporate sector in this initiative is the ILO Workplace program; Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC); National STD Aids Program, Ministry of Labour's National institute of Labour studies and UNAIDS.

The Coalition's awareness program will also be in keeping with the National STD AIDS Program of the Health Ministry as well as the policies of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce which are aligned to the United Nation's Millennium Development goals.