Memorandum submitted by SABMiller
INTRODUCTION
1. As a South African-originated company
with a presence in 29 African countries and a substantial African
workforce, SABMiller is closely involved in initiatives to assist
the development of the African continent. We are a founding member
of Business Action for Africa.
2. The company is a genuine international
African business success. Our 29 African businesses contribute
around 40% of annual group turnover and over 14,000 of our 50,000
employees work in our African businesses. In addition to lager
and sorghum brewing operations in Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi,
Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
we also operate a brewing facility in Angola on a contract basis
with the Angolan government and have bottling plants in seven
of these countries. We are currently the fifth biggest bottler
within the global Coca Cola system.
3. SABMiller welcomes the opportunity to
submit evidence to the committee in advance of its oral evidence
session with Department for International Development Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State Gareth Thomas MP. The committee's commitment
to holding an evidence session with the department on an annual
basis is an indication of the importance of tackling the HIV/AIDS
crisis urgently. SABMiller's position as a private sector operator
with major exposure in Africa gives us a unique perspective.
4. SABMiller operates in a number of countries
where HIV/AIDS is a major problem, such as Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho,
Swaziland and South Africa. In such countries HIV/AIDS not only
represents a devastating humanitarian disaster; it is also a major
business risk, impacting on our employees, our customers and the
communities in which we operate.
5. In this environment, it is essential
that business takes action alongside domestic African governments,
donor governments and the NGO community to tackle HIV/AIDS through
education, prevention and treatment. SABMiller is committed to
doing this and put in place a major programme to tackle the problem.
6. The committee is particularly asking
for evidence on two distinct issues:
— The provision of HIV/AIDS prevention,
treatment, care and support to groups which are marginalised in
society, such as commercial sex workers, intravenous drug users
and men who have sex with men; and
— the extent to which HIV/AIDS
policy and programming is effectively addressing emerging epidemics,
including those in Eastern Europe and Asia.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
7. We note the committee's observation in
paragraph 15 of its original report on HIV/AIDS: "Expanding
access to HIV treatment should not be seen as a simple, technical
fix to the pandemic. We believe that a scaling-up of HIV prevention
must form an integral part of all programmes to expand access
to treatment. "
8. SABMiller is in complete agreement with
the sentiment expressed here. Our basic strategy is focused on
curative and preventative measures which depend on us being able
to encourage staff and their dependents to be tested, to commit
to treatment if they are diagnosed HIV positive and to change
behaviours and attitudes which contribute to the spread of the
virus. This strategy is ineffective if our staff do not participate.
Regular surveys and research undertaken amongst our employees
show that negative attitudes around stigma and taboos of HIV/AIDS
are amongst the biggest reasons for employees not participating
in treatment and testing. Therefore, government energies to prevent
HIV/AIDS need to primarily be based around education to address
stigma.
9. As part of this, SABMiller has made a
number of commitments as part of the company's proactive HIV/AIDS
strategy. These are to:
— Manage existing infections through
voluntary counselling and testing;
— Provide managed healthcare which
includes anti-retroviral treatment where necessary for employees
and their direct dependents;
— Prevent new infections through
education programmes which include a behaviour change methodology;
— Reduce stigma and negative attitudes
which may exist at the workplace;
— Ensure that legislative requirements
are adhered to; and
— Ensure that franchise requirements
in respect of HIV/AIDS are adhered to.
10. We have also included owner drivers
outside of our workforce in our education programmes. A four hour
interactive workshop on HIV/AIDS was rolled out to SAB and ABI's
approximately 450 owner drivers during 2005-06. SABMiller recognises
the importance of empowering their owner drivers with this training
as they are:
— Managing the HIV situation amongst
their crew (in terms of discrimination, confidentiality, victimisation
and stigma, as well as understanding the incapacity process);
— Providing an opportunity for
the owner drivers to ask questions;
— Understanding the legal implications
associated with HIV;
— Providing the owner drivers
with an opportunity to look at their own behaviour and those closest
to them.
11. The workshops were well attended in
all regions, and the delegates all received a training kit containing
a condom negotiation wheel, a tape with an HIV story, developed
by SABMiller, so that they can listen whilst they are driving,
a STI chart, various Soul City comics, the Metropolitan Life HIV
information booklet, a condom demonstrator with numerous packets
of condoms, as well as a training manual. The Owner drivers are
encouraged to share the information and material contained in
the training kits with their crew and to give copies of the tapes
to the crew so that these can be taken home and shared with the
family.
12. Each SABMiller operating unit is also
allocated a category rating depending primarily on the prevalence
of HIV/AIDS in the country, and is then required to implement
minimum standards based on this rating:
— Category A—a prevalence
level of 5% or higher: These operations will have a strategic
risk analysis and will develop, communicate and implement a policy.
They will carry out knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) surveys
and prevalence monitoring. They will also develop a comprehensive
education programme with the focus on attitudes and behavioural
change. Employees and their direct dependents will have access
to condoms, education and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) and access to voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).
Category A operations will also ensure HIV competence for key
stakeholders and set up counselling and support structures.
— Category B—prevalence
level of between 1% and 5%: These operations will develop, communicate
and implement a policy. The policy will commit to a basic education
programme regarding safer sexual behaviour and will offer access
to condoms, education and treatment for STIs.
— Category C—prevalence
of less than 1%: These operations will have division specific
policy.
13. We believe that this approach has worked
well in our existing operations and can be instructive to both
the donor government and NGO community. We remain committed to
continuous improvement and are, therefore, in regular dialogue
with both governments and NGOs. In July 2005, for example, we
held an HIV/AIDS workshop in conjunction with the Chatham House
Africa programme. The purpose of the workshop was to share our
HIV/AIDS methodologies with NGOs so we can identify the elements
that can be replicated and used outside the work environment.
The workshop was attended by HIV/AIDS NGOs, including Care International,
as well as by representatives from the Mozambiquean and Ugandan
High Commissions. Feedback and insights from this workshop have
contributed to the development of our HIV/AIDS programmes, particularly
with regard to dealing with this issue outside the workplace.
Strategically this is vital if we are to continue extending our
HIV/AIDS programmes into our supply chain and local communities.
PROVISION TO
MARGINALISED GROUPS
14. The committee has specifically mentioned
a number of marginalised groups, including commercial sex workers,
intravenous drug users and men who have sex with men. There are,
of course, a number of other economically and socially marginalised
groups such as children, particularly HIV/AIDS groups and other
vulnerable individuals.
15. The key barrier to universal access
to HIV/AIDS treatment is stigma, and this is particularly strong
amongst marginalised and vulnerable groups. User fees also impact
on access of course, and SABMiller has, therefore, been committed
to providing free treatment to employees and their dependents.
16. SABMiller's strategy, taken forward
through the company's "Confronting Prejudice and Stigma Campaign"
has focused on reducing stigma, aiming to create an environment
where employees feel safe to disclose their HIV/AIDS status.
17. We are also acutely aware of the possible
links between alcohol abuse and unsafe sexual behaviour. There
is no evidence that links increased prevalence of HIV/AIDS with
people who drink. There is some evidence to suggest that people
who drink irresponsibly participate in unprotected sex and SABMiller
has programmes to tackle that by encouraging responsible drinking.
18. We also undertake education programmes
for taverners. SAB Ltd Newlands Brewery, for example, embarked
on a pilot project to train taverners as peer educators. This
was rolled out in 2005 with a partner organisation, Planned Parenthood
Association and is part of the Sensible Drinking programme.
19. 190 taverners attended a 10 day course
and 20 attended a two day course. Taverners were provided with
a resource kit containing training manuals, condom demonstrators
and condoms, and educational material for distribution.
20. In addition support structures have
been put in place and taverners are required to hold one workshop
per month and track their activities. This workshop is in addition
to the ongoing one-on-one and informal education which takes place.
This is reported back to the partner organisation so that problems
and barriers can be addressed. The feedback has been very positive
from the taverners.
EMERGING EPIDEMICS
21. Aside from our operations in Africa,
SABMiller also operates across Europe in countries including the
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovakia.
We also have major interests in China and India and have recently
agreed to enter Vietnam.
22. HIV/AIDS pandemics and their related
consequences in some countries require us to manage HIV/AIDS as
an operational and reputational priority, as indicated above.
Africa, where the cost and impact of HIV/AIDS has been most significant,
is our top priority, but the progression of the epidemic in India,
China and Russia is also of concern.
23. As we have outlined elsewhere in this
submission, each operation is categorised depending on the prevalence
of HIV/AIDS within the countries and is required to implement
minimum standards. We have implemented a policy and basic programme
in Honduras where the prevalence is over 1%. This includes access
to condoms as well as education and awareness programmes. We are
monitoring emerging HIV/AIDS epidemics and will respond appropriately.
24. During 2006, we have also been consulting
with potentially at risk operations in other regions to understand
how our experiences in Africa may benefit them before the business
impact of the disease becomes more evident.
CONCLUSION
25. Our key conclusions are as follows:
— HIV/AIDS core risk to business
in terms of its impact on employees, customers and the wider community.
Companies such as SABMiller are committed to working to tackle
the disease to the greatest extent possible. Our aim is to influence
our HIV and AIDS footprint through our spheres of influence. This
includes employees, families, the supply chain and the community.
— SABMiller's basic strategy is
focused on curative and preventative measures which depend on
us being able to encourage staff and their dependents to be tested,
to commit to treatment if they are diagnosed HIV positive and
to change behaviours and attitudes which contribute to the spread
of the virus.
— Our evidence-based approach
is based on wide access to anti-retrovirals amongst employees
and their dependents, reinforced by a comprehensive education
and awareness programme. We are proud that participation in our
programmes is widespread across Africa; for example, 80% of the
workforce participating in Zambia.
— Education programmes across
the board must tackle the stigma and prejudices associated with
HIV/AIDS if they are to be effective. This is just as relevant
for marginalised sections of society as it is for other employees.
Inclusion should lie at the heart of policy.
— Africa, where the cost and impact
of HIV/AIDS has been most significant, is our top priority currently,
but the progression of the epidemic in Honduras, India, China
and Russia is also of concern. Each operation is categorised depending
on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS within the countries and is required
to implement minimum standards. This ensures that we respond to
emerging epidemics appropriately.
— During 2006, we have also been
consulting with potentially at risk operations in other regions
to understand how our experiences in Africa may benefit them before
the business impact of the disease becomes more evident.
October 2006
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