WASHINGTON DC, June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anglo Coal South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anglo American, has been recognised by the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for its pioneering workplace program focused on tackling HIV and AIDS in South Africa. Anglo American is South Africa's leading private sector employer, with over 100,000 people employed at its operations.
The Business Excellence Award for Best Workplace Program will be presented to Ben Magara, CEO of Anglo Coal South Africa tomorrow night at an awards dinner in Washington D.C. The event will be attended by global health leaders including senior Obama administration officials and representatives from UNAIDS, The World Health Organisation (WHO) and The Global Fund.
HIV and AIDS is having a major impact on millions of lives in Southern Africa and Anglo Coal estimates that some 1,300 of its 9,300 employees in the region are currently infected with HIV. This award has been given in recognition of the ground-breaking work the company does in South Africa with its comprehensive HIV/AIDS response for both employees and their families.
All Anglo Coal employees are actively encouraged to test annually, with senior members of the management team taking HIV tests in public to lead by example. Employees who test positive can enrol in a free HIV management program offering care, support and treatment. As a result of this response, the company has seen mass employee engagement on this issue and 94% of permanent workers have been HIV tested since the programme began. Anglo Coal is now trending to have reduced the number of new infections to half what they were in 2005 by the end of 2009.
Anglo American was the first large company in South Africa to offer free
anti-retroviral treatment to all employees back in 2002. There are currently
7,300 employees enrolled in the HIV disease man
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