Standard Chartered recently launched a new programme to partner organisations across the world to educate their workforces and members about HIV/AIDS. The initiative is being undertaken as part of Standard Chartered’s global health commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative to educate one million people about HIV/AIDS by 2010.
The Virgin Group, which manages more than 250 branded companies in 29 countries, is announcing that it will become a global partner as part of its strategy to educate its 50,000 employees throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. The company will begin the process by rolling out the e-Learning module developed by Standard Chartered to its staff on World AIDS Day on 1 December.
At a briefing for business leaders in London, co-hosted by Standard Chartered and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and HIV testing, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered, said: “I am delighted to announce that the Virgin Group has joined us as a global partner. Both companies share a belief that nothing is more important than the health and wellbeing of our people. HIV/AIDS remains a threat, not just to the economies in which we invest and the communities in which we operate, but also to our businesses. We invite organisations from all over the world to share and build on our intellectual capital in the fight against the HIV epidemic.”
Patrick McCall, Virgin Group Commercial Director, said: “Virgin is passionate about the importance of protecting its employees throughout the world from HIV/AIDS, and we are extremely pleased to be joining Standard Chartered Bank as a partner. As Standard Chartered has shown through the success of its workplace education programme, business has a crucial role to play in tackling HIV/AIDS.”
Standard Chartered is a private sector leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. The winner of the Global Business Coalition’s 2007 Outstanding Business Action Award for Core Competency, Standard Chartered has developed a highly effective HIV/AIDS education model that has been rolled out to all its employees, as well as external audiences including customers, suppliers, governments and wider communities. Central to Standard Chartered’s approach is the training of HIV Champions to educate their peers about the pandemic in face-to-face seminars.
As part of Standard Chartered’s commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, the Bank is working with the Global Business Coalition to identify potential partner organisations that will roll out its HIV/AIDS education programme. In addition, Standard Chartered is collaborating with AIESEC, the world’s largest student organisation, to educate 300,000 young adults across the globe. Standard Chartered aims to train peer educators within partner organisations, as well as offer access to a range of educational resources – such as the e-Learning module – which can be adapted to suit partners’ own operations.
Via:(Standard Chartered)
