Memorandum submitted by Business Action
for Africa
SUMMARY
1. DFID's new strategy acknowledges that
business has a role to play in helping achieve universal access,
but gives no indication of how the private sector's contribution
could be leveraged. There is also no provision for encouraging
and facilitating more employers, especially small and medium-sized
enterprises, to take action on HIV and AIDS at the workplace,
which represents a significant missed opportunity.
2. The new strategy recognises the importance
of strong and effective partnerships in tackling the HIV/AIDS
crisis in developing countries. However, the strategy fails to
make any provision for active pursuit of partnerships and strategic
collaboration with the private sector. This omission is in stark
contrast with DFID's stated policy objective of working more closely
with the private sector in scaling up efforts to reach the Millennium
Development Goals.
3. Many members of the Business Action for
Africa network have extensive experience of dealing with HIV and
AIDS in the workplace and the community, in sub-Saharan Africa
in particular but also in other regions where infection rates
are on the increase. These companies are eager to work with governments
and donors to ensure that all resources are optimised in responding
to the pandemic.
4. Business Action for Africa urges DFID
to develop practical policy measures designed to better harness
the strengths of the private sector and to encourage more public-private
partnerships. Specific recommendations on how to achieve these
objectives are set out at the end of this document.
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
TO BUSINESS
ACTION FOR
AFRICA
5. Business Action for Africa is an international
business network focused on utilising the core strengths of the
private sector to support Africa's development. The network was
created during the consultation phase of the Commission for Africa
in 2005, and today has close to 200 members, including companies,
business organisations, multilateral and bilateral donors, government
departments, NGOs and academics. 80% of members are from the business
sector, ranging from small businesses to large multinational corporations
and from national chambers of commerce to international business
organisations. Members have extensive knowledge of and a deep
commitment to Africa.
6. Business Action for Africa works towards
three objectives: to positively influence policies needed for
growth and poverty reduction; to promote a more balanced view
of Africa; and to develop and showcase good business practice.
These objectives are pursued with action in a number of areas:
— collective advocacy, by mobilising
a business voice for policies to end poverty;
— collective action, through catalysing
business-led partnerships across Africa; and
— sharing good practice, by harnessing
latest thinking and showcasing best practice.
7. Secretary of State Douglas Alexander
remarked in March 2008 that "Business Action for Africa
... demonstrates the knowledge and the commitment that many businesses—from
large multinational corporations to small businesses—have
to the continent of Africa ... And I pay tribute to its work—an
example of exactly the kind of effort we will need to see more
of from across the private sector, governments, civil society
and faith groups if we are to meet the Millennium Development
Goals by 2015".[3]
8. The network's strategic direction and
range of activities are determined by an Oversight Group, which
consists of 10 multinational companies and four non-company members.
Oversight Group members also sponsor the network's modest costs
(membership is free for all other members). DFID has been a member
of the Oversight Group since the inception of the network.
More information is available at www.businessactionforafrica.org.
RECOGNISING THE
ROLE OF
THE PRIVATE
SECTOR
9. Selected members of Business Action for
Africa have been engaging for some time with the UK government
on the role of business in fighting HIV and AIDS. They contend
that the private sector has accumulated a range of skills, resources
and experience in various methods of intervention. There is a
growing understanding of which policies are the most effective
in reducing infection rates and ensuring access to treatment for
all those who need it. Given the severe public resource constraints
faced by the most heavily affected countries, it is crucial that
ways be found of leveraging the private sector's strengths. These
arguments were captured in a submission to DFID during the consultation
phase on Updating Taking Action[4]
in August 2007.
10. Business Action for Africa therefore
welcomes the new strategy's acknowledgement that the private sector
has an important role to play in helping achieve universal access.[5]
Whilst the reference to the role of the private sector in the
strategy document is cursory, it is underpinned by a longer description
in the Evidence paper of the many ways in which the private sector
is contributing to tackling the impacts of HIV and AIDS.[6]
However, this section comes across as a list of "some good
things the private sector is doing" without placing enough
emphasis on the importance of finding ways to optimise this contribution.
There is an urgent need to help ensure that more employers become
effectively engaged in fighting HIV and AIDS in the workplace
and beyond.
11. In September 2007, Business Action for
Africa invited three MPs to South Africa to learn more about what
companies are doing to help address the effects of HIV and AIDS.
The MPs reported that they found a clear and unique role for the
private sector due to its responsibility for the occupational
health programmes for employees, its capacity in health systems
and the social investment which it undertakes in the community.[7]
The businesses showcased—in particular, SABMiller and Anglo-American—are
having a strong positive impact through comprehensive prevention,
treatment and care programmes that reach beyond their workplaces
into the broader community. In addition, many pharmaceutical and
medical research companies such as Merck, who also participated
in the Business Action for Africa project, are playing a vital
role through conducting leading-edge research and developing new
medicines and vaccines; accelerating access to medicines, for
example through their pricing policies; and engaging in public-private
partnerships to help ensure sustainable improvements in healthcare
delivery for people living with HIV and AIDS.
12. However, it became clear during the
visit that these large companies are not representative or typical.
Many others lack the resources, know-how or conviction to implement
effective programmes. The MPs made a strong argument that good
practice needs to be extended to more employers, in particular
the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who employ such
a large proportion of the workforce in a typical developing country.
They pointed out that dynamic and pro-active business associations
have a key role to play in facilitating the sharing and wider
implementation of good practice through strategic partnerships.
13. In their report, the MPs therefore recommend
that the government should encourage more companies in high-prevalence
countries to adopt HIV/AIDS policies based on a human rights framework
and to implement robust workplace intervention programmes. The
report also recommends funding and supporting pro-active business
associations that provide a platform for sharing good practice
and initiate partnerships with key stakeholders. Business Action
for Africa fully supports these recommendations.
PARTNERSHIP
14. On partnership, there is recognition
in DFID's new strategy that achieving universal access requires
"deep, broad partnerships between national governments, international
partners and civil society ... as well as the private sector".[8]
Business Action for Africa strongly endorses this approach. In
many of the African countries most seriously affected by AIDS,
government resources are insufficient to meet the enormous demands
of dealing with the epidemic. If DFID is to realise its goal of
achieving universal access, it will be crucial to ensure that
it works efficiently with all its potential partners—and
this includes the private sector.
15. However, in the experience of our members,
partnership is often talked about but not usually pursued as actively
as it could be. This was confirmed during the Business Action
for Africa visit to South Africa in 2007. MPs reported a strong
sense of a "missed opportunity" regarding partnership,
with less evidence than had been expected of productive cooperation
between the public and private sectors in fighting AIDS.
16. Disappointingly, DFID's new strategy
makes no provision for active pursuit of partnerships and strategic
collaboration with the private sector. This omission is in stark
contrast with government's stated policy objective of working
more closely with the private sector in scaling up efforts to
reach the Millennium Development Goals. It is also out of step
with the pro-active approaches of other donor organisations such
as PEPFAR and GTZ who have committed vast resources to identifying
and facilitating public-private partnerships. According to USAID:
"There are certain activities whose successful
implementation is central to the success of enterprises. They
include marketing, recruiting, training, logistics, manufacturing,
and policy and advocacy. Because these are core competencies in
business, many companies have personnel who excel in these areas.
With the right guidance and assistance, companies can apply their
in-house expertise to enhancing the HIV/AIDS response—and
they often do so in innovative ways. USAID partners with many
companies on a broad range of initiatives".[9]
17. Many members of the Business Action
for Africa network have been addressing the impacts of HIV and
AIDS on their workforce for over a decade, in sub-Saharan Africa
in particular but also in other regions where infection rates
are now on the increase. They have invested substantial resources
of time, money and expertise to finding ways to minimise the impact
of AIDS on their workforce. They have a long planning horizon
and a finite number of people that they are responsible for, and
they are in a position to collect longer-term health data on their
workforce. As a result, they can pioneer new strategies and test
new techniques, and observe their results, with much greater speed
and ease than government. They are keen for government to recognise
this strategic advantage and to explore ways in which it could
be optimised for the benefit of the rest of the population through
innovative partnerships.
18. Businesses report that they still perceive
a limited view in many quarters of the potential contribution
that business could make to government's efforts. Companies expressed
a strong desire to work more closely with government as a true
strategic and delivery partner.
19. Business Action for Africa urges DFID
to actively pursue closer cooperation with business in formulating
and delivering policies for addressing HIV and AIDS in developing
countries. DFID should look beyond traditional perceptions of
business as providers of money for programmes and build relationships
based on strategic partnership. Business could be called upon
for strategic input into policy design, drawing on their experience
from developing and implementing workplace programmes; find ways
to leverage their health infrastructure; and utilise their management
skills to help deliver services.
20. Part of the problem, as perceived by
our members, is a lack of understanding on the part of DFID of
precisely what the private sector could contribute to its own
programmes, while businesses for their part do not always know
how to access the right officials within DFID with ideas for partnering
opportunities. It is vital that a conversation be started to address
these obstacles to productive collaboration.
21. As a first step in addressing these
issues, Business Action for Africa has offered to DFID to arrange
a workshop with a number of HIV/AIDS practitioners selected from
among our members, to create a platform for exchanging ideas and
exploring opportunities.
22. In addition to collaborating with Business
Action for Africa, DFID could also convene business leaders along
with other organisations such as the Global Business Coalition
on AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (GBC) and the World Economic
Forum's Global Health Initiative (GHI) with the goal of providing
clear entry points for partnership within the DFID initiatives
to maximize impact and effectiveness.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Business Action for Africa recommends that DFID:
23. Encourage more employers in developing
countries to implement workplace programmes; and facilitate the
implementation of such programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) or employers with limited resources, through direct support
as well as support for proactive and well-run business associations.
24. Advocate internationally for the effective
harnessing of private sector resources in the global fight against
AIDS.
25. Urgently arrange a meeting with private
sector representatives to discuss practical ways in which more
strategic partnerships with the private sector can be promoted
in the design and implementation of programmes covering prevention,
access to treatment and care, provision and distribution of drugs
and action to tackle stigma and discrimination.
26. Develop specific guidelines for DFID
and for businesses on how partnerships could be pursued, at the
departmental as well as country level.
Business Action for Africa
www.businessactionforafrica.org
1 October 2008
3 "Growth at the heart of development"-Speech
by Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development,
on Monday 31 March 2008, at the Institute of Directors, London,
available online at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/Speeches/alexander-growth-fulltext.asp Back
4
Business Action for Africa (2007)a. Submission for DFID consultation
on "Updating Taking Action-the UK's strategy for tackling
AIDS in the developing world", available online at http://www.businessactionforafrica.org/documents/BAAHIVAIDSSubmissiontoDFID.pdf.
A copy of the submission is attached for reference. Back
5
DFID (2008)a. Achieving Universal Access-the UK's strategy
for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing
world, Executive Summary p4, and Chapter 4 p55. Back
6
DFID (2008)b. Achieving Universal Access-evidence for action,
p86. Back
7
Business Action for Africa (2007)b. Business and HIV/AIDS:
What have we learnt? Report on fact-finding trip to South Africa,
September 2007, available online at http://www.businessactionforafrica.org/documents/BAABusinessandHIVAIDS.pdf.
A copy of the report is attached for reference. Back
8
DFID (2008)a. Ibid. Back
9
For more information on PEPFAR's approach to public-private partnerships,
see the brief at http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/aids/Partnerships/partnerships_brief.html Back
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