(Picture from Changemakers)

I was browsing around Case Place to look at BOP case studies and thought I would share some of the more interesting and accessible ones I find from time to time. Not all are freely available here, though you can order them elsewhere.

From 2003 is this study by Elisabeth Girrbach and John Andrianarisata on "The PECHINEY-ALUCAM Response to Fight Against HIV/AIDS" in Cameroon. Pechiney-Alucam, an aluminum company operating there, was faced with both the social impact of workers becoming infected with HIV/AIDS, but also the economic impact to productivity this causes. To find out what they did, see the case study.

Here's the abstract:

The prevalence of HIV has increased rapidly in the Cameroon population, rising from an estimated 0.5% in 1987 to 11% in 2000. It is now estimated that more than one million people are infected and that there are approximately 150,000 AIDS orphans. The most affected groups are young people between 15 and 25 years old, women, and workers between 20 and 39 years old, with prevalence rates touching 20% among workers in some agro-industrial companies. This rate is relatively high compared to some countries in the sub-region (for example, Senegal), although is well below other sub-Saharan African countries (for example, Botswana). Each day, however, HIV infects an average of 600 people in Cameroon (Cameroon National Strategic Plan 2000-2005). The ALUCAM company, a subsidiary of the PECHINEY Group, found itself facing a dual responsibility. In social terms, this involved preserving employee health and working in accordance with principles based on recognizing the value of and preserving human resources. In economic terms this also involved taking into account the devastating consequences of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on plant productivity and its financial consequences, as ALUCAM carries all of the costs associated with its employees' health because of the deficiencies of national policy in this field. There was ultimately, therefore, a threat to the very survival of the company. At PECHINEY, this action was undertaken while taking into account local realities, incorporating the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic within a sustainable development policy. This vision served as the basis for development in the project for the future aluminum production company built by PECHINEY at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. This approach is linked to the principles of United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) on "Human rights 1 - 2" (companies are asked to promote and respect international law relating to human rights in the area of influence - and to ensure that their own companies are not complicit in breaches of human rights) and with the "Working norms" (Elimination of discrimination in terms of employment and profession).