Mercedes-Benz South Africa has been contributing to the fight on AIDS and HIV with a program called Siyakhana in the Eastern Cape region of the country. As a result of the automaker’s contributions, the Global Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) commended MB’s efforts for implementing programs and “using business principles to fight these deadly diseases.”
Mercedes-Benz has provided 17 firms a distinct program that has helped to improve testing rates of HIV positive employees. Through the program, these employees have been able to maintain their strength and keep their respective companies “economically active.” As a result, both the employee and the employer receive positive benefits.
The GBC, which is a coalition of more than 200 companies dedicated to the global fight against AIDS, announced that Mercedes-Benz would be receiving this award last week. The celebration included a gala event in New York during the same time period when the United Nations was scheduled to hold a meeting about the AIDS epidemic. And since South Africa’s own government has a cavalier attitude toward the problem, organizations like the GBC and contributions from companies like Mercedes-Benz are greatly needed.
If all the major companies contributed a portion of each of their sales to the fight against HIV, we might have a cure for it by now. Why not visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer today and support the cause? It feels good to know that you’ve done something that can benefit somebody else.
