South African Breweries is one of the world’s largest brewers with brewing interests or distribution agreements in over 60 countries across five continents. The group’s brands include premium international beers such as Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, as well as a range of leading South African brands.  Outside the USA, SAB is also one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world.

SAB’s HIV/AIDS strategy aims to be comprehensive and reduce the cost and impact of HIV and AIDS on the business. This involves strategic planning and policy development as well as the development and implementation of proactive and effective interventions. A cost and impact study has been carried out.

The Life Threatening Diseases Policy provides a framework within which to manage HIV and AIDS and informs employees of their rights, responsibilities and benefits. Employees who have a life threatening disease are treated with sensitivity, compassion and consistently as with any other employee. SAB endeavours to create a supportive environment within which employees who are HIV positive are able to divulge their HIV status and receive the necessary support.  Information regarding the medical condition of employees is kept strictly confidential at all times.  No disclosure is allowed unless with the written and informed consent of the employee. The company supports the principle of non-discrimination.

The two areas of major focus internally are to manage existing infections through voluntary counselling and testing and early diagnosis and managed health care, which includes anti retro-viral treatment and secondly to reduce and prevent new infections through effective education programmes. The company’s strategy is updated annually. The Knowledge Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Survey results are used to inform the strategy.

SAB believe that VCT is one of the key initiatives as this unlocks the door to treatment. All results are completely confidential. ACT is designed to encourage employees to discover their status early enough to start treatment, if this is necessary. SAB pays for all testing and employees are given a choice as to where they might prefer to be tested, whether internally at the company's occupational health clinics, or externally by an appointed external service provider.

All employees and their dependents have access to a managed health care programme which includes lifestyle management and the provision of anti-retro viral therapy through an external service provider.

Click here to read more.
Click here to read more about the company.