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De Beers

The De Beers group is the largest diamond mining company in the world, responsible for over 40% of global diamond production by value and 45% of rough diamond distribution. Mining takes place in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, with new mine developments underway in Canada. The diamonds we produce are sold through the DTC.

For a company as firmly rooted in Africa as De Beers, the prevention and management of HIV and AIDS is vital. Having been at the forefront of proactive HIV and AIDS programme management with the provision of free antiretroviral treatment it is encouraging to see that between 12,000 to 16,000 children can count on the support of at least one parent as a result of our efforts .

In Southern Africa, antiretroviral treatment (ART) is provided free to employees and a spouse or life partner, and children of employees in the case of Debswana. In 2006:

1,120 employees and 335 dependants were enrolled on our ART programme, figures as at the end of December 2006
More than 77% of our South Africa, Debswana and Namdeb employees participated in voluntary counselling and testing programmes.
These operations were audited against the GRI HIV/AIDS pilot indicators.

De Beers in South Africa

In South Africa De Beers has 5,000 employees and prevalence is estimated at 10.2% (against a national prevalence estimated at 18.8%). AIDS has been identified as a key business risk to the company, and as such has been integrated into the everyday operational risk management. There are four key pillars to the De Beers Strategy:

Saving lives
Prevent new infections through affording all the opportunity to know their HIV status and change risk behaviour
Living with HIV and AIDS
Provide treatment, care and support
Measuring our impact
Monitor programme benefits and economic impact
Communications and stakeholder engagement
Establish relationships with key stakeholders in HIV/Aids management to learn and enhance our response to the communities in which we live and work

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) studies have determined high-risk behaviours such as interaction with commercial sex workers and low levels of condom usage in high risk sexual encounters. Such surveys help direct strategy.

Global response

A global corporate HIV/Aids workplace policy reflects the principles and intent of the De Beers group for its offices and operations around the world. This facilitates customised responses to local requirements and conditions within a broad framework of common standards.

Local focus:

Peer education has been the foundation of the programme to save lives in our workplace. We include all mining contractors, and the surrounding community in the reach of our Peer education. For example, one mine trained over 60 teachers to deal with HIV/Aids challenges in their field. Peer educators work closely with the AIDS Programme to develop monthly campaign themes and materials relevant to the needs of the mining community, present regularly on HIV and AIDS to their fellow employees at team meetings, and lend critical support to ongoing VCT initiatives.
Well-being: The De Beers well-being programme for employees is rooted in the moral obligation to ‘do no harm’ and help prevent ill-health. Accordingly, it includes comprehensive treatment (run by Aid for AIDS), TB and STI management on site, and access to information on general healthy living. An employee assistance programme offers free counselling to employees and their families. Regular disease surveillance and management programmes provide critical information and help direct curative efforts. As a result, the incidence of tuberculosis at our operations in South Africa decreased by 13.95% from 387 per 100 000 in 2005 to 333 per 100 000 in 2006. Six of seven SA operations are on track to achieve our target of 95% compliance with our internal Occupational Health Standard by 2009 .
HIV/Aids training for managers equips managers to cope competently with HIV/Aids at work, helps address issues of stigma and discrimination, and engenders greater support towards VCT, peer education, and health management at work. In 2006, 70 managers were trained.
Social investment: About US$15.3 million (93.65%) of our total social investment spend for 2006 was invested in projects in the vicinity of our operations in Africa. Social investment programmes aim to alleviate poverty and encourage socio-economic development. In South Africa, De Beers launched the De Beers Community HIV/AIDS Partnership Programme (DBCHAPP) in 2006, partnering with stakeholders in HIV/AIDS programmes that provide services to those who are infected or affected as well as supporting comprehensive community health management programmes and facilities. We aim to make a lasting positive contribution to local communities during and beyond the lifetime of our mines.

For more information:

Click here for 2005 case study.
Click here for De Beers HIV/AIDS Booklet.
Click here to read more about the company.

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Small businesses

Is it reasonable to expect small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa to offer HIV/AIDS services to their employees?

As evidence has accumulated of the negative impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the South African economy, some sectors of society have taken action, while others have not. In the private sector, many large businesses, having recognised the imminent costs of the epidemic and the potential benefits of proactive intervention, are now offering HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services to employees. The vast majority of small and medium sized businesses, however, are not .. >.