Those running HIV/AIDS workplace programmes will now be in a position to measure them against an official set standard that charts the way for ongoing improvement in the pursuit of best practice.

The South African Bureau of Standards has now published SANS 16001, the HIV and AIDS workplace quality management system designed to give companies a benchmark against which to voluntarily measure their HIV/AIDS programmes.

The standard was launched at a breakfast function in Sandton on Wednesday this week. SABS CEO Martin Kuscus said: “I am proud that the SABS has produced and published this standard, which will help make it possible for businesses and organisations throughout South Africa to better manage the impact of HIV/AIDS on their enterprises.”

The standard, which can be bought from the SABS (see details below) or from their webstore is based on the SANS 9001/ISO 9001 and SANS 14000/ISO 14000 series of management standards that was initially developed and published by NOSA (National Occupational Safety Association) and Debswana Diamond Company Ltd as AMS 16001:2003: “Standard for HIV and AIDS management system specification document.” This standard was developed after research showed that mining was the sector most impacted on by HIV/AIDS of all business sectors.

However this standard focused more on “the risk of employees becoming infected at work”, said Linzi Smith, managing director of Education, Training and Counselling, who helped develop the new standard, adding that it was well-known that “the majority of HIV transmissions occur outside of the workplace.”

At the launch SABCOHA CEO Brad Mears said the new private sector strategy developed within NEDLAC called for, among other things, stronger monitoring and evaluation. "It seems appropriate then that the South African National Standard 16001 – HIV and Aids management system has been launched. Indeed if the private sector is to live by the credo that you cannot manage what you cannot measure, then surely the launch must herald a significant step forward. The implementation of the standard leads the way in ensuring that perhaps one of the most critical components of the National Strategic Plan is strengthened – namely monitoring and evaluation.

"For the first time in our response to the epidemic, we now have a set of indicators against which we can measure our responses to HIV," said Mears.

Universal implementation of HIV workplace programs by all employers in South Africa is an objective of SABCOHA and the National Strategic Plan. Commented Mears: "Synonymous with that must be the adoption of a universal standard, which is independently assessed. In ensuring legal compliance, approval by the SABS standard gives confidence to management, directors, shareholders, and customers that your workplace programmes meet the standards set out in the SANS document."

After a lengthy process, which also saw the new standard go out for public comment in March this year, SANS 16001 is finally available. The standard has been designed to be compatible with SANCS 9001/ISO 9001; SANS 14001/ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, “thus granting organisations the opportunity to carry out integrated auditing against all four standards,” said Smith.

The introduction to the new standard, a 20-page document, stresses that the success of an HIV and AIDS management system rests on commitment from all levels in an organisation, particularly top management.

“Stakeholders who know that an organisation in which they have a vested interest has successfully implemented this standard can feel assured that an appropriate HAMS (HIV and AIDS management system) is in place and that the organisation works towards setting and achieving enterprise-wide risk management and social responsibility objectives,” reads the introduction.

“Knowledge and information will drive action,” said Clem Sunter, chairman of the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund. “That is especially true of this standard. In all aspects of business, it is universally agreed that sound management practice rests on setting standards and targets and then measuring people’s performance against them. Thus, the idea of extending this principle to HIV/AIDS management systems not only makes absolute sense, it will also improve the private sector’s response to one of the greatest challenges facing society today - turning the epidemic around.”

To purchase the standard:

Tel: 012-428-6883
Fax: 012-428-6928
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Webstore

For more information on the standard contact:

Irma Loots at SABS:
Tel: 012-428-6379
Fax: 012-428-6368
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Lindzi Smith, Education, Training and Counselling
Tel: 011-640-7410
Cell:083-631-6667
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