The report, entitled Canadian Energy and Mining Companies and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Bridging the Chasm, outlines the growing gap between the spread of HIV/AIDS and the slow response of Canadian companies to address the challenge.  Beyond the human tragedy of 39.4 million currently living with the disease worldwide, the HIV/AIDS crisis will negatively impact the labour force, productivity, health care costs and consumer spending, among other influences on business performance that affect shareholder value and corporate social responsibility.

"Energy and mining companies are making huge investments in international territories like Africa where the resources are abundant, but the threat of HIV/AIDS is greatest," says Robert Walker, Vice President, Sustainability at The Ethical Funds Company.  "The human toll and financial gravity of the pandemic will become a concern of the officers and directors who manage those companies and the shareholders who own them.  Leading companies will consider the provision of HIV/AIDS treatments and prevention programs as a human right and will join in solutions that reduce transmission rates."

As part of an initial examination of the trends of Canadian companies, The Ethical Funds Company polled a number of Canadian energy and mining companies listed on the TSX.  Of the responding companies, a small minority has formal HIV/AIDS policies or considers the HIV/AIDS problem as significant now or in 10 years.  Based on the respondents, a minority of energy and mining companies has programs in place to provide HIV/AIDS education, offer anonymous HIV testing, provide anti-retroviral therapy programs or promote the use of condoms.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic and the response by individual companies will have a direct impact on the long-term value of these companies' international operations, says Walker.  In the report, The Ethical Funds Company makes the following recommendations for action by companies operating in zones with AIDS epidemics:

• Conduct an impact assessment of the HIV/AIDS issue
• Take responsibility to act on HIV/AIDS, with support and leadership from the CEO
• Work with employees, unions and health authorities to establish a HIV/AIDS policy
• Implement a zero tolerance policy for HIV/AIDS discrimination
• Assign the implementation to a senior manager with the resources to execute effectively
• Provide clear and concise HIV/AIDS information to employees
• Provide anti-retroviral therapy to employees and their families
• Review how corporate activities may be contributing to HIV/AIDS awareness and treatments
• Establish specific HIV/AIDS performance indicators, monitoring and reporting

The full report is available at:

http://www.ethicalfunds.com/do_the_right_thing/about_ef/newsroom/2005_articles/HIVAIDSfinal2.pdf

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