New corporate members include Chevron , Lonmin Platinum, Nampak, Nedbank and Nike. Medium-sized companies to have joined include Foskor, HWH Integrated Human Capital, Kaefer Thermal, Johnson Control, Sandown Motors. Among the smaller companies are Aid for AIDS, AIDS Unique, Institute of Health Risk Managers, Live Reality, S & N Rubber, Direct Medicines, Elixir Health, ECI Africa, Econocom Foods, Greenpath Institute of Education, Impendula Planning and Development, Inceba Co-ordinators, Matchboxology, Peleka Associates, Reality Training Concepts, Strat-Health Consultants and TIBB.

"It’s really encouraging to see the number of new companies that have joined us since the beginning of this year and hopefully more will follow suite,” says SABCOHA CEO Brad Mears. The new members comprise an interesting cross-section of business sectors, from energy to financial services to fast-moving consumer goods to resources.

Mears believe the surge in new members is testament to SABCOHA’s developing profile, its increasing relevance to the private sector with regard to strategies to combat HIV/AIDS and its ability to offer value to potential members.

He sites three key reasons for the rapid membership growth: “In keeping with our revised strategy we have embarked on a membership drive within SABCOHA to bring more corporations on board. Secondly there has been an appreciable commitment by our governors to introduce potential corporate members to SABCOHA. Thirdly, because the political terrain and atmosphere around HIV/AIDS and government’s response has improved, the appetite among corporations to become part of the over-arching corporate responsibility towards HIV/AIDS has improved greatly.”

Also, according to Mears, individual companies have their own specific reasons for joining up, some relating to the broader environment and others to internally-driven factors. “Many, like Nampak, which joined recently, want to share and receive information around best practice. Others like Nike want SABCOHA to assist in shaping their sustainability strategy.” One of the primary drivers for Hollard to join is their involvement in developing business strategy for orphans and vulnerable children, points out Mears.