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Gold Fields

Gold fields (GFL) is a metals and mining company in South Africa. Its main business is the mining of precious metals, in particular gold, of which it produces approximately 4.5 million ounces per annum from open cast and deep level mines in South Africa, Ghana and Australia (February 2003).

Goal

Changing behaviour and providing care for HIV-positive employees through employee and community programmes, for less than US$ 46 per employee per year

Key questions

How can effective community partnerships be created to cover all labour sending (i.e. recruitment sourcing) areas?
What is the private sector's obligation after an employee's ill-health retirement?
What set of benefits can a smaller company realistically provide, and how can a smaller company work with established community programmes to provide similar programmes for its employees?

Programme description

GFL's programme aims to prevent an increase in workplace and community prevalence:

In December 2001, GFL signed an HIV-specific workplace policy agreement with its labour unions, establishing a partnership with 48 000 workers to combat the effects of HIV/AIDS on the company and its employees.

GFL’s internal prevention programmes focus on awareness, formal employee education, awareness events, peer educator education, condom distribution and syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

GFL established a portfolio of multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to encourage behavioural change in neighbouring communities and labour sending areas targeting people at high risk (male and female commercial sex workers and their regular partners).

GFL's programme also aims to extend the life of the worker both at work and at home:

The Informed Consented Voluntary Counselling and Testing (ICVCT) programme is available to all employees and in some communities through GFL community projects

A wellness management programme is available for all employees with a chronic disease, including HIV, as well as ARVs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), rape victims and employees with occupational exposure.

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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 .. >.