Impact on developing markets continued
Access to healthcare
We believe that all our employees should have access to decent basic medical care. In more mature markets we have allowances for access to the national healthcare system or have agreements with health care providers, but there are also countries where we believe the only (best or most cost-effective) way we can guarantee care on a level that we deem adequate is to provide it ourselves. In 2006, we operated our own clinics in 15 different locations in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as 4 in South East Asia employing over 100 doctors and nurses, providing access to adequate basic healthcare for approximately 30,000 beneficiaries consisting of employees and their dependants.
As illustrated above, our own medical activities, undertaken by Group International Health Affairs, are focused primarily on developing markets and are therefore often related to some of the same issues as the Millennium Development Goals.
In addition to these aspects of its activities, Health Affairs also works to improve the behaviour of employees with regard to Health and Safety, most often in co-operation with Group Supply Chain (GSC). GSC focuses its efforts mainly on the short-term safety effects; Health Affairs is also concerned with longer-term effects, such as work-related illnesses.
A screening inventory on hearing impairment carried out in Nigeria during 2006 demonstrated that emphasis needs to be paid to noise awareness and abatement programmes. This challenge has consequently been included in the 2007 Annual Health Plan for Nigerian Breweries. During the year, a health ‘road map’ advising Heineken Operating Companies how to manage a health and business crisis resulting from a possible Avian Influenza pandemic was compiled, discussed and distributed to the regions.
Throughout 2006, our HIV/AIDS policy was sustained and strengthened in partnership with the Pharmaccess Foundation. Our cooperation with this NGO guarantees the quality of treatment programmes offered and helps us to engage the support of HIV/AIDS experts. Fortnightly telephone conferences and patient monitoring via an encrypted confidential database ensure quality control and thorough follow-ups. During 2006, we reported on our activities to institutions that included the Global Business Coalition and issued progress reports in medical journals and during the World Aids conference in Toronto, Canada.
At present, 9,888 Heineken employees and dependants in developing countries have been voluntarily tested for HIV/AIDS, with 365 testing seropositive. Of these, 230 are currently receiving HIV therapy, while the remaining 135 are not yet in a phase of the disease during which treatment would improve their well-being.
Tuberculosis, specifically the multi-drug resistant type of the disease, has been recognised as a worldwide health threat to our employees. Our medical services try to identify cases as early as possible and actively encourage all those affected to take the relevant action for as long as is necessary to ensure a complete cure if possible. Joint efforts with external agencies, including multinationals, are also necessary to combat this disease effectively and one of our Group Medical Advisers is participating as a member of the Fight against TB board.
Our medical professionals have been trained in the latest developments in the treatment of malaria, including the use of long-lasting bed nets impregnated with an insecticide. These are handed out to our employees and their dependants. In Africa, every one of our breweries has made a particular effort to ensure these bed nets are readily available to all employees and family members.
In addition to the issues discussed above, our clinics offer both antenatal treatment and special clinics for children under the age of five. These are open to employees and their families. All services aimed to improve women’s health are provided free of charge, while our approach stresses the need to work with other institutions because we believe this produces better health standards at local country level. Our doctors in Africa and Asia report to Group Health Affairs on a quarterly basis; this ensures they receive the support they need but are also challenged on their progress.
A good example of an effective local health initiative is our Selling Beer Safely programme, which supports female beer promoters in Cambodia. The programme has helped to improve health and safety for around 700 female beer promoters, who over the past few years have attended three-day training workshops and one-day refresher courses, during which they discussed reproductive health issues, the difficulties of dealing with customers, how to resist pressure to drink alcohol and other health and safety topics. The turnover of beer promoters remains high, so it is important to sustain the training courses we offer.
The lessons learned in Cambodia have subsequently been used in other operating companies facing similar issues. We also acknowledge that the Selling Beer Safely programme also requires the active involvement of our competitors to succeed, and we have taken the lead in forming the Beer Selling Industry Cambodia (BSIC). This association of brewers and beer sellers has agreed and signed up to a general code of conduct for beer promoters. Participating companies have agreed to work together to help improve the health and safety of beer promoters. These actions will build on the significant improvements we have made in the last three years. These improvements include HR-issues like contracts, working conditions, safety and privacy; information instruction and training in areas such as selling beer safely, personal health, alcohol-related issues, appropriate behaviour in dealing with customers; work organisation, including supervision, transport and counselling; implementation and monitoring to ensure the success and continuity of the programme.
In 2007, we will actively encourage the beer promoters working for our brands to undergo testing for HIV/AIDS with the purpose of facilitating free treatment for those who are employ the beer promoters to look into the primary labour conditions.
