Business & Human Rights : HIV/AIDS

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Main Content: HIV/AIDS - an introduction

Below are select introductory materials on business and HIV/AIDS. Further reports from a wide range of sources are in the HIV/AIDS section of our site. Please note that we have a separate section of our site on "HIV/AIDS discrimination".

Key international standards
Key reports & guidance
Concerns, company responses & non-responses
Positive steps by companies
Lawsuits regarding HIV/AIDS

Key international standards

International Labour Organization, ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work [PDF]: principle 4.2

Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, UN General Assembly Resolution 60/262 (2006) [PDF]: paragraph 29

Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, UN General Assembly Resolution S-26/2 (2001) [PDF]: paragraphs 37, 58 and 66

UN Human Rights Commission resolutions on “The protection of human rights in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)”:
     - Resolution 1999/49
     - Resolution 2001/51
     - Resolution 2003/47

International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights [PDF], Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS): guidelines 5, 9 and 10

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: article 25

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: article 12

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: General Comment 14

Key reports & guidance

Saving lives, Protecting jobs [PDF], ILO International HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme, Mar 2008. [También disponible en español] [Aussi disponible en français].

HIV/AIDS and work: global estimates, impact on children and youth, and response [PDF], International Labour Organization, Dec 2006 [También disponible en español] [Aussi disponible en français].

More Companies are Creating Programs to Help Alleviate Worldwide HIV/AIDS Epidemic, Conference Board, Apr 2008.

World Economic Forum report highlights businesses tackling AIDS, World Economic Forum, Jan 2008.

Good Practice Guidance on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria [PDF], International Council on Mining and Metals, Aug 2008.

Business and HIV/AIDS: What have we learnt? [PDF], Business Action for Africa, Sep 2007.

Positive corporate responses to HIV/AIDS: a snapshot of large cap South African companies [PDF], Dani Law, EIRIS, Nov 2008.

Business decision makers' survey on HIV and AIDS: The Boardroom speaks, [Namibia] PricewaterhouseCoopers & Namibia Business Coalition on AIDS (NABCOA), May 2008.

Concerns, company responses & non-responses

The Resource Centre invites companies to respond to allegations of misconduct. Below are examples of allegations and company responses regarding HIV/AIDS. We also indicate when a company has not responded.

Global: Report by Reuters examines HIV/AIDS in the mining industry. Includes comments on prevention efforts of Anglo American, Jul 2007. Response from Anglo American.

Global: Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility rates 15 pharmaceutical firms on HIV/AIDS - finds none has comprehensive approach, Aug 2006. Responses from Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Tibotec, Wyeth. No response received from Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, Hoffman-La Roche, sanofi-aventis, Schering-Plough.

Global: Physicians for Social Justice (Nigeria) says companies’ responses to Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility report are a “cover” for their insufficient action to ensure access to essential medicines [DOC], Nov 2006. Response by Novartis, Pfizer. No response received from Abbott Laboratories.

Global: Médecins Sans Frontières says prices of essential new AIDS drugs in developing countries are too high, June 2005. Responses from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Abbott Laboratories. No response received from Gilead Sciences.

Cambodia: Australian Council of Trade Unions campaign raises concerns about health & working conditions of "beer promotion women", Jun 2006. Response from Anchor, Carlsberg, Heineken, InBev. No response received from Anheuser-Busch.

Guatemala: Bristol-Myers Squibb supports intellectual property legislation that HIV/AIDS patients & NGOs such as Oxfam warn will restrict access to HIV/AIDS medicines, Apr 2005. Response from Bristol-Myers Squibb. [También disponible en español]

South Africa: Bench Marks Foundation report says platinum mines in North West Province owned by companies putting workers' & communities' health at risk, Jul 2007. Response from Anglo Ashanti, Implats, Xstrata. No response received from Lonmin.