HIV/AIDS

The group has a formal HIV/AIDS policy in place, aimed at combating the spread and minimising the impact of HIV/AIDS on our employees, their families, our customers and the community at large. It does so by providing education and information about HIV/AIDS and promoting non-discriminatory practices. This policy has been communicated to all existing employees, is available on our intranet and is included in the sign-on pack for all new employees.

In an effort to minimise the impact of HIV on our staff as well as attendant costs to the group, we provide free and confidential access for all employees to testing, counselling, treatment and support. Employees are encouraged to ascertain their HIV status in order to enable them to take responsibility for their health. Those employees whose status is negative are encouraged to adopt safe behaviour to retain this status, whilst those that test HIV-positive are given access to the support and treatment they need to remain healthy and able to work productively for as long as possible.

Since 2005, HIV-positive employees who are members of the Foschini Group Medical Aid Scheme have had access to a full disease management service provided by a managed healthcare provider. Employees who register on the programme receive free HIV testing, counselling, information and prophylactic medication, as well as antiretroviral therapy when required.

In September 2006 the group launched the first phase of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS workplace programme. This is now well entrenched and as at the year-end 538 employees had been tested through an external network of pharmacies around South Africa on a voluntary basis. This programme is managed by Occupational Care South Africa. On World AIDS Day, 1 December 2007, we announced that free treatment and support for HIV-positive employees would now be extended to all permanent employees through a comprehensive disease management programme provided by QUALSA. Treatment includes antiretroviral therapy.

According to a risk assessment commissioned by the group and conducted by the Health Monitor Company in 2005, it was estimated that 6,99% of the company's employees would be HIV-positive in 2007 (for 2006, their estimate was 6,86% and in 2005, it was 6,6%). The estimated average cost to the group for 2007 associated with HIV infection was R11 054 per HIV-positive permanent, permanent part-time and flexitime employee, equating to a total group cost for that year of R9,4 million. This cost was based on all potential incremental costs, including antiretroviral treatment, paid sick leave, funeral costs, lost productivity, increased group life and disability expenses, cost of training and lost expertise, additional cost of incapacity as well as generally increased medical costs.

Experience to date has indicated that the actual cost to the group has been substantially less than was predicted in that assessment. At the time of compilation of this report, we have been notified that 30 employees are registered on the QUALSA programme at an average cost for the year of R10 644 per employee. This equates to a gross annualised group cost of R319 320 before taking into account recoveries from medical schemes.

Ongoing free and confidential on-site HIV counselling and testing continues to be available through the clinic at our head office in Cape Town.

In addition to the measures described above, on-site testing for head office employees through OCSA was introduced for the first time in the past year as part of our annual Health Days.

We have also embarked on a pilot voluntary counselling and testing campaign in collaboration with two other large retailers with the aim of making voluntary counselling and testing more accessible to employees working in shopping centres. The counselling and testing was outsourced to Action Against AIDS, an NGO, and took place at the Cavendish shopping centre in Claremont, Cape Town. The campaign proved extremely successful, all available appointments being utilised, and plans to expand it to other shopping centres, as well as to include more retailers, have been finalised.

A similar campaign for Namibia is being investigated.