Dell's Commitment to Fighting HIV and AIDS
Fighting HIV and AIDS
For many of us, the reality of AIDS is portrayed only on the big screen, but this life-threatening disease is the harsh reality for millions of people around the world. Striking from Manhattan to Mumbai — with a prevailing presence in Africa — this disease has no prejudice.
We continue to view HIV/AIDS as an issue of concern, and an issue on which we feel business should engage. There are two primary reasons this issue is on our company radar. First, there is not a community in the world that has not been impacted in some way by HIV/AIDS and this means our employees, customers, suppliers and communities are all dealing with the impact of HIV/AIDS in some way.
Second, the continued increase in infection rates remains alarming. While great progress has been made, we continue to be troubled by the potential for infection rate levels in markets such as Eastern Europe and Asia. In developed nations, increased infection rates in young people are alarming, as are the increasing numbers of women infected with HIV. A continued rise in infection rates has an impact on many aspects of our business, from the health of employees, to the buying power of communities.
Executive Commitment
Recognizing the tragic impact of HIV/AIDS on our employees, communities, customers, suppliers and stakeholders, CEO Michael Dell — together with the Global Business Coalition, in which Dell is a corporate member — has made it a priority to provide access to medication and education.
At a corporate level we remain actively involved with the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to network with other corporate leaders on best practices to both protect our employees and use education to help stop the spread of HIV.
Dell and MTV Host Interactive Lab at International AIDS Conference
What could bring thousands of people from diverse backgrounds together under one roof for one cause? The International AIDS Conference. Every two years, thousands unite to discuss issues associated with the disease. In 2008, the conference was held in Mexico. Dell and MTV built an interactive conference booth where MTV’s HIV/AIDS Staying Alive campaign took center stage. Brave participants shared their stories and concerns through some of the following innovative channels:
- The Speak-Out Wall encouraged young people to leave a message about HIV/AIDS. The messages were posted around the lounge for others to view and learn from.
- The Big Question encouraged people to stop by the media lounge to respond via MySpace to a question that many had an opinion about.
- Untold Stories asked participants to complete a short story initiated by three well-known authors who wrote the opening 70 words.
Share in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Learn more about the International AIDS Conference at www.aids2008.org.
WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO HELP
Joining the fight against AIDS in Africa, Dell signed a multiyear commitment to partner with (PRODUCT)RED™. The idea is simple: (PRODUCT)RED is a brand that transforms consumer power into an incredible financial force to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Partners create PRODUCT)RED branded items and services, contributing a portion of the profits to the Global Fund. The Global Fund uses 100 percent of this money to finance HIV health and community support programs in Africa, with a focus on women and children. So far, (PRODUCT)RED products and events have generated more than $125 million — enough to provide more than 760,000 people with life-saving medication for one year. Join the cause. Learn more at JOINRED.COM.
See the (PRODUCT)RED portfolio at www.dell.com/joinred.
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, observed around the globe, brings attention to the AIDS epidemic, and January 12, 2008, marked its 20th anniversary. On this day, CEO Michael Dell signed a new company policy supporting the intolerance of discrimination against employees with HIV/AIDS.