Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS awards companies for anti-AIDS efforts (12156)

The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS on Wednesday announced the 2004 winners of the GBC Awards for Business Excellence. The group honored Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Coca-Cola Egypt, Siemens, and Viacom for those companies' efforts in fighting the spread of HIV and establishment of treatment programs worldwide.

Global mining firm Anglo American was honored for its comprehensive workplace and treatment services; diversified resources firm BHP Billiton was honored for creating employee and community HIV care centers worldwide; Coca-Cola Egypt was recognized for its HIV prevention work in a highly conservative and religious culture; engineering and electronics firm Siemens was saluted for its treatment, prevention, and peer education programs; and Viacom was honored for its global "Know HIV/AIDS" media campaign.

The awards were presented at a ceremony held Wednesday in Berlin that was attended by German chancellor Gerhard Schroder, World Bank president James Wolfensohn, United States global AIDS coordinator Randall Tobias, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS executive director Peter Piot, and AIDS activist and musician Bono. The GBC is an alliance of more than 140 international businesses dedicated to fighting the AIDS epidemic through the business sector's unique skills and expertise. For more information visit the GBC Web site at www.businessfightsaids.org.