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SA guidelines go international
Staff writer, Sowetan
2003-11-06

Guidelines developed in South Africa for companies and other organisations to report on their HIV/AIDS policies and practices are set to become the international standard for such reporting. The guidelines have already e been tested by 16 South African organisations and will soon be made available in other regions affected by AIDS, such as India, China, South America and the rest of Africa. They were developed by the local office of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an Amsterdam- based non-governmental organisation that seeks to encourage companies and other organisations to elevate their reporting on sustainability issues to the same level as their financial reporting, The World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation, as well as several multinationals, other companies, trade unions, advocacy groups, accounting bodies, investor organisations and others, contributed to their development. The King Report on corporate governance last year suggested that every organisation should provide targets for a strategy and policies to address and manage the impact of HIV/AIDS. It also recommended that organisations should monitor the performance of their policies and report to stakeholders regularly. The Johannesburg Securities Exchange is also promoting a more formalised approach to HIV/AIDS reporting. It said last year it was investigating a requirement that all companies on the exchange should report on HIV AIDS. The widespread acceptance and use of the guidelines will elevate the credibility of HIV/AIDS reporting, since they provide a reputable reporting benchmark to measure or compare the HIV/AIDS performance of various organisations. However, many organisations are not aware of the existence of policies and programmes that will assist a response, or of the effectiveness of various interventions. The guidelines will help organisations to identify best practices on HIV/AIDS, so strengthening management decisions. They can be used to report on HIV/AIDS in the context of a document such as an annual report, a health, safety and environment report or a sustainability report. (Source: Sowetan, 27 October 2003) LINK //\// Contact GRI on 011-643-3179. website: http://www.global-reporting.org

Guidelines developed in South Africa for companies and other organisations to report on their HIV/AIDS policies and practices are set to become the international standard for such reporting.

The guidelines have already e been tested by 16 South African organisations and will soon be made available in other regions affected by AIDS, such as India, China, South America and the rest of Africa.

They were developed by the local office of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an Amsterdam- based non-governmental organisation that seeks to encourage companies and other organisations to elevate their reporting on sustainability issues to the same level as their financial reporting,

The new guidelines will be useful in any country affected by HIV/AIDS, says Sandi Baker, GRI's regional project facilitator in Johannesburg.

The World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation, as well as several multinationals, other companies, trade unions, advocacy groups, accounting bodies, investor organisations and others, contributed to their development.

Companies are increasingly being pressed to disclose their performance and policies on HIV/AIDS management, Baker says.

The King Report on corporate governance last year suggested that every organisation should provide targets for a strategy and policies to address and manage the impact of HIV/AIDS.

It also recommended that organisations should monitor the performance of their policies and report to stakeholders regularly.

The Johannesburg Securities Exchange is also promoting a more formalised approach to HIV/AIDS reporting. It said last year it was investigating a requirement that all companies on the exchange should report on HIV AIDS.

The guidelines are a first step to the development of a standard worldwide approach to reporting on HIV/AIDS, says Baker.

The widespread acceptance and use of the guidelines will elevate the credibility of HIV/AIDS reporting, since they provide a reputable reporting benchmark to measure or compare the HIV/AIDS performance of various organisations, she says.

Current information on corporate action on HIV/AIDS is inconsistent and incomplete. It is difficult to compare and benchmark corporate performance on HIV/AIDS and to verify the accuracy of the information.

Investors will also benefit. Baker says. HIV/AIDS programmes are directly linked to employee turnover and the long-term human capital formation associated with a trained and productive workforce.

The absence of proactive management regarding HIV/AIDS sends a negative signal to investors, adversely affecting share prices and the cost of capital.

As HIV/AIDS continues to spread, its impact is becoming more evident on organisations and on stakeholders such as employees, consumers, suppliers and communities, Baker says.

However, many organisations are not aware of the existence of policies and programmes that will assist a response, or of the effectiveness of various interventions. The guidelines will help organisations to identify best practices on HIV/AIDS, so strengthening management decisions.

They can be used to report on HIV/AIDS in the context of a document such as an annual report, a health, safety and environment report or a sustainability report. (Source: Sowetan, 27 October 2003)

LINK //\//
Contact GRI on 011-643-3179. website: http://www.global-reporting.org

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