At PepsiCo, we recognize HIV/AIDS as a uniquely challenging global health issue,
which poses a significant threat to the sustainability of our business operations
worldwide. We are committed to making a significant contribution to the fight against
this devastating pandemic and to assisting employees and family members affected
by it. PepsiCo has established an internal task force on HIV/AIDS to address the
issue in our businesses.
PepsiCo HIV/AIDS Policy
Our policy outlines an approach that will be applied across the diverse array of
markets in which we operate – from South Africa, where we have made very important
strides, including establishment of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS testing and treatment
program, to the scores of other countries in which we are still in the early stages
of addressing the problem.
Based on our experience in South Africa, we believe that any sustainable program
to combat HIV/AIDS must focus first on building awareness, encouraging prevention
and reducing the stigma associated with the disease. However to succeed in the long
term an HIV/AIDS program must include a testing and treatment component. Concurrently,
we are working toward our goal of ensuring that all of our employees and their families
have access to affordable treatment for HIV/AIDS, including such services as anti-retroviral
drugs, treatment for relief of HIV-related symptoms, nutrition counseling and supplements,
stress reduction and treatment for the more common opportunistic infections, including
STDs and tuberculosis.
The way we address HIV/AIDS in any individual country will reflect that country's
particular needs and circumstances. Approaches may include review of existing benefit
mechanisms to provide for the needs of workers living with HIV/AIDS and consultation
with government and other partners to explore the sustainability of new health benefits,
specifically addressing the retroviral and opportunistic elements of HIV/AIDS.
All of our HIV/AIDS programs will embody the following principles:
Guiding Principles
- Inclusion: PepsiCo's policy applies to all employees of PepsiCo
and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. We will also make available our policies, practices
and experience to business partners according to their need and interest so they
may be more effective in fighting this pandemic.
- Sustainability: Our approach starts with basics and progresses
as prerequisite elements are well established. Testing and treatment programs require
a solid foundation in awareness and education.
- Commensurate Response: Our country-level programs should be commensurate
with the severity of the local HIV/AIDS public health threat. Our goal is to meet
or exceed local HIV/AIDS benchmark practices.
- Local Relevance: Our local programs will be shaped by those responsible
for implementing them. We will actively engage our employees and their representatives
in developing and implementing our local approaches to HIV/AIDS.
- Quality: We will encourage sharing of best practices, inside PepsiCo
and with outside companies and organizations. We will facilitate access to information
on HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Such information may come from external or internal
sources, and may include the insights of people living with HIV/AIDS. We will review
our progress annually and continuously seek ways to improve.
- Outreach: We will actively seek partnerships to increase the reach
and impact of our efforts in the communities in which we operate. We will reach
out to governments, non-government organizations, other companies and community
based groups to leverage their capabilities in fighting HIV/AIDS.
- Compliance: In the event our policy or programs conflict with local
laws or regulations, we will respect those local laws and regulations.
Outreach
We have made great progress in developing and implementing workplace programs in
South Africa, India, Russia, China, and more recently, Thailand and Mexico.
In 2005, we announced our global HIV/AIDS policy and communicated it throughout
our company. In South Africa, we launched a direct AIDS intervention program, which
included full treatment coverage for all employees and spouses. We are continuing
the program, providing community outreach through peer education and providing assistance
to affected families.
In India, we have provided education, treatment and community outreach programs,
including peer education.
In China, we have provided education, engaged in programs with outside groups and
have a dedicated wellness doctor who visits our business unit facilities to provide
information on health and wellness issues, with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS. We established
an information hotline to answer questions about HIV/AIDS and other health issues,
as well as providing referrals to treatment facilities and case management where
appropriate. In Russia, in addition to employee education and awareness, PepsiCo
is participating in community educational programs.
The Thailand business has been a part of a number of activities, including a National
Children's Day's activity book on AIDS prevention for children and how to live with
AIDS-infected children. The business has a certificate of gold level from the AIDS
Response Standard Organization (ASO Thailand) for outstanding HIV/AIDS work. In
the United States, PepsiCo has an active program that includes information on HealthRoads
website, review of benefit plans to ensure coverage of HIV/AIDS. In addition, associates
participated in HIV/AIDS awareness marches across the United States, raising funds
to fight this disease.
Partnering for Change
Since 2002 PepsiCo has been a member of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC), a not-for-profit group dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS
and related diseases. PepsiCo has separate HIV/AIDS workplace programs in countries
where there is high or rising prevalence as well as where we have major operations,
including South Africa, China, India, Russia, and the United States.
For information on GBC visit:
http://www.businessfightsaids.org
Pandemic Preparation
PepsiCo recognizes the dangers pandemics could pose to our employees and business,
and has established a task force that is addressing this and other potential pandemics.
In the United States, this includes education, awareness and steps to take regarding
work related issues.
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