Ford Motor Company vision is to help mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace, amongst the families and the community at large through its continuum of services.
The company has managed to create a sense of extensive knowledge on the effects of HIV/AIDS, not only on the corporate level, but amongst individuals infected with the virus. A culture of openness has been created where employees engage openly on the subject of HIV and other health related issues.
Since the programme enjoy the support of all stakeholders, the expertise from the executive and other employees have been leveraged on the programme to maximise its success in the form of financial and data management as well as clinical expertise from the onsite service providers.
The steering committee meets monthly to continue to engage all employees in activities such as celebration of the most tested department on VCT, HIV/AIDS material development competition, wearing of the VCT t-shirts and the Peer Educator programme which serves to advise the committee on the innovative ways to continue engaging employees. The internal magazine has a standing column that communicates health related issues to employees.
The programme can be replicated in any setting as it is run from both Port Elizabeth and Pretoria plants. Elements of the programme are shared with the Ford Asia Pacific office and the elements of its adaptability have been emulated in that region. Other organisations can therefore leverage the project to make it grow.
