FMCSA honoured for HIV/AIDS leadership

A proud Johan Strydom with the international award received by Ford Motor Company of South Africa for its sterling work in the HIV/AIDS arena.

FleetWatch lifts its hat, congratulates, applauds, pays tribute - you name it - to the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) for receiving an international award for the work it has done in the field of HIV/AIDS.

The award - bestowed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - is for a US-based company with an international presence. South Africa can be justifiably proud in that FMCSA was the only company outside the USA to receive the Organisational Award, which recognises the highly effective workplace program put together by FMCSA and the contribution made by the company towards educating other employers in the area of HIV/AIDS.

CDC has created the "Business/Labour Responds to AIDS" programmes to foster and facilitate HIV/AIDS programmes in the workplace. Under this programme, businesses, labour groups and other organisations that have created and implemented exemplary HIV/AIDS workplace programmes are honoured.

The award was received on behalf of the company by Johan Strydom, manager personnel services, at the "Business/Labour Responds to AIDS" conference in held Washington DC last month.

Strydom was also asked to present an HIV/AIDS workshop on each of the two days of the conference and to conclude proceedings, was invited to give a keynote address along with the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna Shalala.

Strydom's address covered the initiatives taken by Ford Motor Company in terms of its workplace program, which was held up as an excellent example to the conference delegates. His address was enthusiastically received and has resulted in a number of organisations seeking assistance in their efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

A variety of government and non government institutions in Southern Africa have already approached FMCSA for guidance and assistance in the design and implementation of workplace programs to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic on a practical level.

The theme of the second CDC Conference was "Now More Than Ever" and its aim was to help educate the workforce of America and abroad about the impact of HIV and AIDS in the workplace. It gave delegates an opportunity to meet labour leaders and model employers such as the FMCSA. It allowed delegates to network with colleagues who face HIV issues and to learn from experts who presented throughout the conference.

In their welcome address to the delegates, the Conference organisers stated that if current trends persist, it is likely that 60 to 70 million people worldwide will be infected with HIV by the end of 2000. The potential worldwide economic impact of this infection rate could equal 1,4% of the world's gross domestic product annually.

"Although we have spent the last decade learning about HIV and AIDS and relaying the importance to the workplace, we must ensure that the message is still as important as it was 10 years ago. This conference has been appropriately titled "Now More Than Ever" to communicate the message that HIV and AIDS are still a threat to our society and the global economy. It is imperative that we work together to implement educational models, benefits programs, management models and corporate philanthropic initiatives that address the new changing demands of this dynamic pandemic."

The conference drew people from abroad and visitors from South Africa included a delegate from each of the three major trade union confederations COSATU, NACTU and FEDUSA. A government representative from Botswana and a delegate from Chevron, Nigeria also attended the conference.

FMCSA's programme

The Ford Motor Company of South Africa, which employs more than 3 700 people, developed its HIV/AIDS workplace programme during the second quarter of 1999. The program is led by a steering committee chaired by the CEO and group MD, Marcos Oliveira, with cross-functional representation by both management and employee representatives, meeting on a monthly basis.

The company developed a comprehensive programme to focus on education, testing, communication and community involvement, in partnership with NUMSA and CDC. Two HIV/AIDS programme coordinators were appointed to lead this initiative in Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, where the company has its facilities.

The program is extended to employees, contract workers, pensioners and their families and has reached more than 12 000 people. The company has provided leadership on HIV/AIDS within the South African auto industry by serving as a resource and hosted an HIV/AIDS conference with other employers.

The steering committee believes that employees no longer hesitate to engage in open discussion on the topic of HIV/AIDS, with more and more seeking advice and clarity.

The programme has put a stop to the rhetoric surrounding HIV/AIDS and moved into action in the fight against the spread of the disease with passion, energy and an enthusiastic commitment.

FleetWatch has also heard that FMCSA is getting more involved in spreading the HIV/AIDS message wider working on a project in Port Elizabeth to put an HIV/Aids awareness programme into primary schools which the company intends bringing to Gauteng later.

FleetWatch lifts its hat to this company for the proactive stance it has taken to positively impact on the problem of HIV/AIDS. It is heartening to know that while our President indulges in irrelevant debates which merely serve to titillate the minds of a few academics, there are companies like FMCSA which are tackling the issue the way it should be tackled - head-on.

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