2 December 2009
Anglo American’s employees around the globe commemorated World AIDS Day on 1 December by participating in a number of awareness raising initiatives. Anglo American remains committed to effectively managing the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on its employees, firmly maintaining its position as a global corporate leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In 2002, Anglo American was the first major employer to begin offering free anti-retroviral treatment to its employees and, in December 2008, Anglo American extended this benefit to employees’ direct dependants. This decision was based largely on the understanding that HIV/AIDS cannot be effectively managed when only one family member receives care for a disease that affects the whole family.

Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive of Anglo American said: “Anglo American’s aim, as the Employer and Partner of Choice, is to effectively manage the impact of HIV/AIDS on our employees and to make a positive contribution towards minimising the social, economic and developmental consequences of this epidemic. Anglo American’s response reaches beyond its workforce, through community outreach HIV/AIDS programmes, to spread the application of good practice in a way which helps to strengthen community health systems.”

Anglo American has the world’s largest HIV/AIDS workplace prevention, counselling, voluntary testing and treatment programme, permeating through all levels of the company. Demonstrating the continued commitment of the Group’s management to the programme, Sir John Parker, Anglo American’s Chairman, recently voluntarily tested for HIV and AIDS at the Anglo American Clinic at the company’s Johannesburg office.

Sir John Parker said: “I believe that Anglo American has made great strides in its HIV and AIDS awareness and management programmes as our 75% target for voluntary testing in 2008 was exceeded, with a final uptake of 77%. We’re well on target to make our 2009 goal of 80%. Unfortunately, far too many people still learn their HIV status concurrently with an AIDS diagnosis or are just not aware that they are infected. Claiming status ignorance is unacceptable and therefore Anglo American will continue to drive its internal voluntary testing programmes.”

Anglo American’s 2009 international employee HIV/AIDS campaign which launched on 27 July detailed the company’s response in the areas of eliminating the stigma and discrimination related to the disease. The programme also focuses on preventing new infections, the provision of care and confidential support for employees and their dependants infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and managing and mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on operations. In so doing, Anglo American is making a positive contribution towards minimising the social, economic and developmental consequences of the epidemic.

Workplace programmes are in place at all international Group operations and business units, with activity particularly focused in southern Africa, where HIV prevalence figures are estimated at 18% of the region’s workforce.

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For further information:

United Kingdom
James Wyatt-Tilby, Media Relations
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8759

Notes to Editors:

Anglo American plc is one of the world’s largest mining groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global leader in platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests in coal, base and ferrous metals, as well as an industrial minerals business. The Group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia.

Additional information

Anglo American’s recent progress was rewarded by the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at the organisation’s Business Excellence Awards in June, where Anglo Coal South Africa was recognised as having the best HIV/AIDS workplace programme in the world.

The GBC Awards are earned by companies that have demonstrated extraordinary commitment, action and results, and have achieved exceptional success in putting their assets to work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Anglo Coal received the top award in the 'Workplace Category' for its holistic approach to HIV/AIDS and was commended by the judges for “its comprehensive, robust and evidence-based approach to managing HIV and AIDS in the workplace; coupled with the outstanding leadership and commitment of Anglo Coal's management and leadership team."

Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases is one of the eight United Nations
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and 2010 represents an important milestone in the progress of this initiative.

By next year, the MDG aim to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care – with the goal of halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

While it is unclear whether the 2010 target will be met, the advancement is still significant. Of the estimated 9.5 million people in need of treatment in 2008 in low and middle-income countries, 42% had access, up from 33% in 2007 and just 5% in 2003.

The greatest development has been seen in sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of all HIV infections occur.