Goals

1. BUSINESS SECTOR OUTREACH:

   The AIDS Foundation of Barbados Inc?s (AFBI) first goal is to increase the range and quality of business sector AIDS programs through supporting the full implementation of the booklet entitled "AIDS in the Workplace - Guidelines for Managers and Supervisors" document, published by the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Barbados Employers? Confederation, and which was adopted by the Social Partners since 2000 - both in the workplace and in the wider community. The AFBI supports the development of AIDS strategies by individual companies and encourages Government, the national and regional community and the non-governmental sector to partner with the business sector. To help achieve this goal, the AFBI is expanding significantly the number of companies publicly committed to HIV/AIDS, through expanded membership of the Foundation.

    

2. INCREASED ACTION BY BUSINESS:

   In advocating for greater business action on HIV/AIDS, the AFBI believes that Business can respond in three main ways:

   • Bringing business? core strengths of creativity and flexibility to improve the reach and effectiveness of AIDS programs - businesses? marketing, communication distribution and logistics skills are already strengthening the impact of many AIDS programs around the world.
   • Implementing prevention and care programs and policies for employees and immediate communities - in many countries company programmes will be the only accurate source of accurate HIV information available to employees.
   • Leadership and Advocacy by business leaders, lobbying for greater action and partnerships with government and civil society.

      

3. POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP:

   The AFBI shall develop two principal programmatic areas of policy leadership and research to identify the positive impact business practice can have in fighting the disease, taking into account existing relevant national research:

    

   • Increasing business action in the workplace. The AFBI?S strategy shall involve both outreach with business leaders to convince them to act, and the identification of proven and effective interventions to help companies implement their own workplace programs.
   • Increasing Business Action in the Community. The AFBI shall identify and promote the broad range of programmes and partnerships businesses can bring to stem the tide of the AIDS epidemic and highlight company, community and individual examples, by hosting an annual Awards for Business Excellence Dinner, illustrating where business (and labour) has worked in partnership with government and civil society in response to HIV/AIDS and other social issues.

      

4. INCREASING NATIONAL BUSINESS ACTION:

   A critical aspect of the AFBI?s work will be to promote greater business action, by providing technical advice and advocacy support to national business/professional organizations, and through high-profile summits of business, professional, political, labour, media and civil society leaders. Formal partnerships will be developed with leading business associations and HIV related organizations nationally and internationally.

    

5. FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES:

   The AFBI shall liase with Government, the media, trade unions, civil society, and other stakeholder organizations to promote greater partnerships in the expanded regional and international response to HIV/AIDS, through senior-level contacts, participation in conferences and meetings and specific joint initiatives and in particular, with the National HIV/AIDS Commission, to provide a long term partnership of mutual collaboration and support.

   We recognize that ongoing collaboration with HIV/AIDS support groups is an essential partnership that must be fostered.