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Anglo American, the world's third largest mining company, has established a free HIV testing and counselling programme for its London headquarters staff.
Board members, including chairman Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, who is also chairman of the Global Business Coalition on HIV and Aids, became the first to be tested last month to set an example. Anglo American offers voluntary testing to its staff elsewhere in the world, but believes the new programme is the first by an employer in Britain.
Chief executive Cynthia Carroll said there had been a 'worrying increase' in HIV infections in the UK population, and that the company could not afford to be complacent, even though it has the world's largest workplace HIV testing and treatment programme, with 3350 HIV-positive employees in southern Africa on anti-retroviral drugs provided by the company.
Anglo American says its experience has shown that uptake of voluntary testing may start slowly but can quickly gather pace. Among employees in South Africa the level of participation in tests, which are offered annually, has risen from less than ten per cent in 2003 to an estimated 70 per cent or more in 2007.
The company says economic studies show that its HIV programmes in South Africa, which cost about $10million (£4.9m) a year, are becoming self-financing because treatment costs for other opportunistic infections are lower, absenteeism has fallen and skills are not lost. Nine out of ten of those on treatment are able to work normally and continue to support their families for many years.
As Anglo American was making its announcement the Trades Union Congress, the UK unions' umbrella body, coincidentally unveiled a campaign devised with the National Aids Trust that urges employers to introduce anti-discrimination HIV and Aids policies in the workplace. The TUC wants employees to stamp out discrimination against people with the disease; to treat information on infected employees confidentially; to make arrangements for the special requirements of those with HIV/Aids, such as regular medical appointments; and to ensure that staff receive training.
Board members, including chairman Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, who is also chairman of the Global Business Coalition on HIV and Aids, became the first to be tested last month to set an example. Anglo American offers voluntary testing to its staff elsewhere in the world, but believes the new programme is the first by an employer in Britain.
Chief executive Cynthia Carroll said there had been a 'worrying increase' in HIV infections in the UK population, and that the company could not afford to be complacent, even though it has the world's largest workplace HIV testing and treatment programme, with 3350 HIV-positive employees in southern Africa on anti-retroviral drugs provided by the company.
Anglo American says its experience has shown that uptake of voluntary testing may start slowly but can quickly gather pace. Among employees in South Africa the level of participation in tests, which are offered annually, has risen from less than ten per cent in 2003 to an estimated 70 per cent or more in 2007.
The company says economic studies show that its HIV programmes in South Africa, which cost about $10million (£4.9m) a year, are becoming self-financing because treatment costs for other opportunistic infections are lower, absenteeism has fallen and skills are not lost. Nine out of ten of those on treatment are able to work normally and continue to support their families for many years.
As Anglo American was making its announcement the Trades Union Congress, the UK unions' umbrella body, coincidentally unveiled a campaign devised with the National Aids Trust that urges employers to introduce anti-discrimination HIV and Aids policies in the workplace. The TUC wants employees to stamp out discrimination against people with the disease; to treat information on infected employees confidentially; to make arrangements for the special requirements of those with HIV/Aids, such as regular medical appointments; and to ensure that staff receive training.
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