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HIV/AIDS had developed into a major threat that had a
devastating affect on human resources and economies throughout
the world. Various government and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) have been trying hard to curb this menace, help those
infected with HIV/AIDS, and spread awareness on how this disease
could be prevented. For instance, in India, National AIDS
Control Organisation (NACO) has been involved in various
initiatives to control the spread of this epidemic and create
awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and ways to prevent the disease.
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Even the corporate sector has woken up to this threat
and has been engaged in supporting many initiatives to help HIV positive
people and spread awareness about the disease.
Experts felt that it was in the interest of the corporations to involve
themselves in HIV/AIDS-related corporate social responsibility (CSR)
activities. AIDS could have ominous implication for corporations both at
the micro and macro level.
At the micro level, it could lead to greater
absenteeism, high turnover and reduced productivity. At the macro level,
AIDS affected the environment in which businesses operated, including
markets, investment, services, and education. For instance, experts
believed that the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa would
result in the country suffering a decrease in GDP of up to 17 percent by
2010, which in turn could severely affect business organizations.
Business corporations could make a major difference in this area as they
had the resources and expertise to fight against AIDS. Experts felt that
in addition to money, other corporate resources, such as established
organizational structures and training capacities, could be effectively
utilized to fight the pandemic.
Corporations had started contributing
toward the fight against AIDS in various ways, including committing
funds for medicines for AIDS victims, committing funds for awareness
campaigns against HIV/AIDS, providing free condoms, taking initiatives
to promote HIV/AIDS awareness among employees and other community
members, framing non-discriminatory policies regarding HV/AIDS and
providing victims with a support system in the workplace, etc.
Experts noted that such CSR efforts against HIV/AIDS were on the rise.
In India, corporations such as the Forbes Marshall Group, Standard
Chartered, Larsen & Toubro, TATA Tea, Steel Authority of India Ltd.
(SAIL), Bajaj Auto, Titan Industries, etc., had started various CSR
efforts against HIV/AIDS. There were also some notable initiatives by
semi-government entities.
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