They have sometimes been slow to movement

Businesses still appear to be little mobilized in the fight against AIDS. This change

Richard Holbrooke. We have created the global HIV-AIDS Business Coalition to fill this delay. In 2001, when we started, we had 17 members. We have now 220, with a strong representation of French companies, American, British and German. In addition to New York, our headquarters, we have offices in London, Paris, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Beijing, Moscow, Kiev and Geneva, where we are working with the Global Fund to fight against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. We will to open one in New Delhi next year. In the space of four years, we have managed to get corporations to take their responsibilities. I am sorry, it is true that some major groups are still absent. The Japan, for example, is absolutely not represented in our coalition.

Bertrand Collomb. Are careful when talking about delay of the undertakings in the fight against AIDS. The World Economic Forum had produced a study on the subject without concern for whether or not the sampled companies invested in developing countries. This obviously false results. In developed countries, public policies are important enough and do not justify a specific business action. Large companies, active in the developing countries, in Africa, where public health structures are often inadequate, are sensitized to this issue. They have sometimes been slow to movement. This is normal. In South Africa, it took two years to Lafarge to be the problem. The equation was very difficult, given the political position of the South African authorities.

What is the exact role of the Global Coalition of businesses against HIV / AIDS

R. H. We are not a non-governmental organization. Our mission is advocacy, the Council and the technical support to businesses, to encourage them to invest in the fight against AIDS. There are several ways to do so: l ' Oréal conducted operations of outreach to the hairdressers in Africa; TV5 is committed through information campaigns; some of our members, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, have no policy AIDS itself, but they support us financially. It is important, because we receive no government funding.

We have, on the other hand, awareness to Governments. One of my major battles has been screening. The aim of having proactive policies. One thing is to let people go voluntarily to the screening. Another is to tell them: we will test you, unless explicitly deny you. This change in policy, the detection rate is increased, Botswana, from 8 to 90. When I raised this issue a few years ago, I confronted with opposition. It countered me that it was against human rights. Today, the developments on this issue is formidable, particularly in the World Health Organization.

B. C. The Global Coalition of businesses against HIV-AIDS, including the European Office also promotes exchange of experience between companies. It is essential, because these are difficult subjects. I noticed that many companies had developed initiatives in terms of fight against AIDS, but each worked in his corner. Today, some companies have not taken the step and are reluctant to do so. They can take advantage of the experience of groups already passed by this obstacle course.

What is an AIDS policy an obstacle course

B. C. You must overcome many obstacles. Let's start with the social acceptability of AIDS action. Companies must necessarily adapt to the local environment and its sociological conditions. In South Africa, four or five years ago, people would not even hear talk about prevention. Governmental structures, they, we said that this was their skills. When prevention was better accepted, we encountered the problem of testing and its corollary the support of the treatment. How to do so and to apply it Our policy is actually put in place two years ago.

Then, need to articulate our internal and external actions: it is not possible to deal with only our employees and do nothing for their families and the surrounding communities. But our action is necessarily defined perimeter. It is a difficulty that we have to overcome: how to articulate the partnership between the private sector and public authorities

Companies becoming more susceptible to AIDS because of the economic cost that it represents for them

R. H. The Global Coalition of businesses against HIV-AIDS CBG has two ways to "recruit" members. The first is to demonstrate that it is a program within their social responsibility. The second, it is demonstrated that there is an economic cost for a company to do nothing.

B. C. In Lafarge, our first motivation was not economic. In our South African subsidiary, we watched a prevalence rate of 20. To tackle the pandemic was simply a moral imperative. Then, we have better perceived this economic "cost". On my first visit there, the number of victims was not yet very high. But the conclusion was clear: to the horizon of ten years, if we do nothing, we would have more human resources. A person infected with AIDS and untreated cost approximately 4.600 EUR per year, due to absenteeism and its reduction in productivity. The decline in prices of treatments made by pharmaceutical laboratories removes any argument for those who remain inactive. Economic interest joined the moral imperative.

Is a majority of companies not before HIV simply for reasons of image

R. H. That companies tackle AIDS by conviction or to matters of image, the important is that they contribute to the fight against AIDS and our coalition to allow us to continue our fight.

B. C. Companies can no longer simply to say: look how we are great. There is too much pressure from society. But I still qualified on this issue. It is clear that the private sector may simply statements of good intent. But it should not give a legal character to these policies. I don't want a "Sarbanes-Oxley Act" of sustainable development. There it remains an instrument of dialogue and not punishment.

Is the rise of HIV/AIDS in large emerging areas, such as the India and China, accelerate awareness of the private sector

R. H. There is not that China and the India. In Europe, the pandemic is widespread in Russia. The Ukraine is experiencing the fastest growth of the virus. Overall, the growth of the pandemic, outside the African continent, should actually speed up awareness of the business. But, in most countries, corporations do not constitute the bulk of the labour force. To educate the world of small and medium-sized enterprises, the action of Governments, through education and information, is essential.