GENEVA, Switzerland, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A U.N. backed-report criticizes corporate responses to the threat of HIV/AIDS, saying firms don't draft policies until 20 percent of a nation is infected.
Deputy Executive Director Kathleen Cravero of the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS, known as UNAIDS, Thursday expressed hope more businesses would become involved in issues such as AIDS. "We know it is not just socially responsible; it is also a good investment,"
The report, "Business and HIV/AIDS: Commitment and Action," was jointly published by Geneva-based UNAIDS, the Global Health Initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Harvard School of Public Health after a survey of almost 9,000 business leaders in 104 countries.
"Our growing experience shows that effective action on HIV/AIDS is synonymous with good business management and leads to more profitable and sustainable operations," said Brian Brink, senior vice president of Anglo American, the international mining and natural resources company.
"Companies should encourage all workers to know their HIV status, making it as routine as monitoring blood pressure or cholesterol," he said. "Providing access to treatment is a critical part of this."
