One of SABCOHA’s key functions is to forge partnerships with other players in government, the business community, development sector and international arena, in the knowledge that the scale of the HIV/AIDS pandemic calls for co-ordinated and collaborative responses. SABCOHA is intent on facilitating the creation and sharing of best practice models for workplace HIV/AIDS initiatives in the business community.

African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC)

The African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC) is a non-governmental organisation committed to promoting responsible growth and competitiveness in Africa by changing the way companies do business in Africa.

AICC’s long-term goals are to ensure:

• Responsible growth and competitiveness throughout Africa.
• Corporate Citizenship is an integral part of how companies do business in Africa.
• Transparency in companies’ interaction with governments.
• Non-financial reporting is as important as financial reporting.
• Governments play a role in ensuring corporate accountability in Africa.
• South Africa adopts corporate responsibility guidelines, which are best suited for South African companies operating in Africa.
• Corporate Citizenship becomes part of the curriculum at business schools throughout Africa.
• International standards on Corporate Citizenship support the African context and promote responsible business and competitiveness.

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA)

SABCOHA and Busa signed a record of understanding in early 2005 with the aim of developing a comprehensive strategy around HIV/AIDS for the private sector in South Africa. Busa represents South African business on macro-economic issues and other national and international matters affecting business. SABCOHA has contributed to business’s position on the issue of self-funded ARV programmes and fringe benefit tax. SABCOHA has helped Busa develop international policy around HIV/AIDS and employment. In April 2006, SABCOHA and Busa jointly hosted the first ever private sector conference on HIV/AIDS, entitled “Taking our response to the next level”.

HIV-911

SABCOHA has formed a working partnership with the HIV-911 Programme, Centre for HIV/AIDS Networking (HIVAN), which offers a database of 6,000 HIV-related services and support in any area of South Africa. The HIV-911 Programme is dedicated to providing information on where to locate HIV-related services and support in any area of South Africa. As a result, finding appropriate HIV-related services has now been made easy.

Call the HIV-911 Data Collection Line (0860 HIV 911 / 0860 448 911) or surf their database online for information on over 6 000 HIV-related organisations country-wide.

HIV-911 has also recently introduced a hard copy directory project. To date, directories have been published for KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape. Gauteng's directory will be available from early March and the rest of the country will follow shortly thereafter. A directory for each province will be produced each year. This means that each year one full set of nine provincial directories will be produced.

National Business Initiative (NBI)

SABCOHA and the National Business Initiative are working closely together and jointly organised a business breakfast to be held in May 2008 titled: "Has HIV/AIDS dropped off the strategic agenda of business leaders in South Africa? An update on progress and key challenges ahead." HIV/AIDS is affecting economic activity and social progress around the world. The business costs of unmanaged HIV/AIDS are now well understood. Besides the costs to individual companies, unmanaged HIV/AIDS is hampering human resource development, undermining the skills base and driving away foreign investment.

Nelson Mandela Metropole Business Coalition (NMMBC)

As part of its mission to empower business in the fight against HIV/AIDS, SABCOHA has formed a partnership with businesses in Port Elizabeth. With a focus on the automotive industry, SABCOHA and the NMMBC are in discussions to bring the NMBC under the SABCOHA umbrella.

The Pan African Network of Business Coalitions (PABC)

The Pan African Network of Business Coalitions (PABC) was launched in December 2005 to mobilise African business in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The formation of the PABC is part of a worldwide trend towards greater involvement of the private sector – through business coalitions –in fighting the pandemic.

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