For those who still believe innovation is only about new product development, DaimlerChrysler SA's (DCSA) Grand Prix award at last month's Age of Innovation & Sustainability awards must have come as a surprise.
The award was for the company's HIV/Aids workplace programme, which is unique in its breadth and scale.
In 1998 an increase in employee deaths and the subsequent investigation into this led to the decision to upgrade the existing HIV/Aids programme.
The company entered into a three-year public-private partnership with GTZ, part of the German ministry of economic co-operation. Together they devised a comprehensive programme that contains a number of outreach initiatives into the communities served by DCSA.
These include the continuation of antiretroviral treatment for retrenched employees and their families; the redesign of one of DCSA's medical aid plans to contain increases in medical costs; a new provident fund option with revised death and disability benefits to ensure maximum contributions to employees' retirement benefits; and an employee attendance scheme at the assembly plant that rewards employees who don't take time off. This has slashed absenteeism from 4% to below 2%.
The company is working with traditional healers, providing them with training and support in first aid, the treatment of STDs, tuberculosis control and HIV/Aids care. These interventions are the tip of the iceberg in a programme that has had tangible benefits for the company.
More than 50% of its 4 500 employees know their HIV status and half have enrolled in an active intervention programme. Absenteeism has declined and productivity has improved.
Results from a prevalence survey conducted in October 2001 found that 9% of employees are HIV positive. This is far lower than the national figure and must be partly attributable to the company's HIV/Aids initiatives since 1991.
Because of these successes, DCSA's parent company is initiating an international HIV/Aids programme to cover all of its operations.
