Service Contract No 2007 / 147-446 Strategic ... - Swaziland

The HAPAC Programme applied two implementation approaches to achieve its objectives:(1) contracting out services to NGOs; and (2) direct funding of MoH activities.In order to manage the HIV epidemic in the country, the government formed NERCHA, withthe mandate to coordinate a multisectoral response. NERCHA implements this through coordinationof eight sub-thematic areas: institutional arrangements, community mobilisation,planning and programme development, advocacy and communication, the mainstreaming ofcross-cutting issues (human rights, gender, poverty, socio-cultural practices and disability),monitoring and evaluation, HIV/AIDS research, and resource mobilisation and management.The core principles that guide NERCHA in managing its national response are: national andequitable coverage of services, using local solutions and existing structures, communitydriveninterventions, sustainability, and the mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS.5.5.1.2 The Private SectorThe Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC)The RSSC has two irrigated sugar estates, Mhlume and Simunye, whose combined landunder cane cultivation is approximately 20,000 hectares, from which it produces sugar (twothirdsof the country’s total production), ethanol and related products. The Group operatestwo sugar mills, a refinery and a distillery. The figures for March 2010 indicated that thecompany employed 2,592 permanent/fixed term and seasonal employees: 1,764permanent/fixed term staff (1,443 in Production and 321 in Support Services), and 828seasonal employees, a figure that varies monthly. In addition there were 78 apprentices andtrainees. Aside from the Group’s direct employees, a further 20,000 people live on theestates.Risk management, health and safety are important aspects of the management of thecompany, with ongoing measures being taken to identify, assess, mitigate, manage andmonitor risk. A Safety, Health and Environmental Policy aims to provide working conditionswhich safeguard all those affected by the operations of RSSC, as well as ensuring themaintenance of a clean and healthy environment. In addition, RSSC has recognised thenegative impact of HIV/AIDS on employees, their dependants and the company – that it is astrategic business issue. In the Group’s 2009 Annual Report, the Chairman recognises that“HIV/AIDS continues to be a real challenge” (RSSC, 2009).RSSC is certified with AMS 16001/2003 (AIDS Management System standard) 40 . It has alsodeveloped a one-page HIV/AIDS Management Policy Statement (March 2009) 41 , whichendorses the company’s commitment to reduce exposure of personnel to the risk ofHIV/AIDS, its incidence and prevalence. It seeks to “provide and seek resources to developand implement effective programme initiatives on HIV/AIDS”, through:- providing a framework, guidelines and parameters for the effective management ofHIV/AIDS within the company;- encouraging employees, their families, and community members to know their HIVstatus;40 AMS 16001, the first risk management system standard to rate and manage HIV/AIDS programmes, provides companieswith a standard that will guide them towards cost effective anti-HIV/AIDS treatment programmes. “The standard ensuressurvival in a worsening HIV/AIDS environment where risk management has to assume new multi-dimensional levels ofcorporate social responsibility. An audited AMS 16001 standard rating is internationally recognised as the only reliablemeasurement that indicates a company’s ability to survive in the long term. Foreign investors need to know whether theircapital will be safe 10 to 20 years from now. Without the AMS 16001 system standard there is no way of telling whetherthe company will actually exist at that point.” (www.timbersa.co.za)41 www.rssc.co.szRDMU (Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Adaptation Strategy) - Page 79