Goal

Key questions

• How can Unilever extend its comprehensive care, support and treatment programmes to include the 36% of employees who are not enrolled in a health insurance plan?

• If Unilever wants to establish its HIV prevalence, should it do this through an un-linked saliva survey, or through a successful voluntary counselling and testing campaign?

• Can other organizations adopt Unilever's HIV/AIDS roadmap to guide the implementation of their HIV/AIDS programmes?

Programme description

Unilever Boksburg has played a leading role in the development of HIV/AIDS programmes in Unilever South Africa.

• The vision of the programme is to actively involve all Unilever Boksburg stakeholders to reduce new HIV infections and to create a caring and supportive service for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

• In 2002, the trade union’s annual workers’ congress approved a resolution endorsing the principals underlying the Unilever HIV/AIDS policy.

• Unilever Boksburg's prevention programme relies on management training, peer education and condom distribution. Active employees participate in community HIV/AIDS activities.

• Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services are available to employees on a medical plan at the on-site occupational clinic.

• All employees are eligible to join a health plan. HIV-positive employees who are enrolled in a health plan may gain access to Unilever Boksburg's comprehensive care, support and treatment programmes, including medically appropriate Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Treatment (HAART).