The need to know

In a bid to encourage the active participation of all staff, an incentive of R50 000 was offered to the branch with the highest participation in the testing process, the condition being that the money had to be donated to a local relevant registered HIV/AIDS facility

After initial HIV awareness and education for all employees was completed, the second phase of the project focused on encouraging employees to know their HIV/AIDS status through voluntary, confidential testing procedures. The management board set the example by being the first employees tested in order to demonstrate the strategic priority 'Project Status' holds for Clover.

Says Albie Schoeman,human resources executive at Clover, "The third step in this project will be to give our employees an understanding of what happens when someone has HIV/AIDS and how they are can relate to, and assist, those around them."

Over the past year Clover has invested over R5 million in social development efforts. the 'Project Status' incentive awarded to Philani Clinic in Frankfort, together with the already established 'Clover Mama Afrika' and CHOC projects, are examples of successful community projects.