Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and World Vision launch impact! an HIV/AIDS campaign at XL Capital.

Both groups called on financial sector to take action against the spread of AIDS last Friday.

The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC), the pre-eminent organisation leading the business response to AIDS and World Vision, an international humanitarian relief organisation, are calling on the global financial sector to support the fight against AIDS.

The partner organisations also launched their new impact! HIV/AIDS campaign that aims to drive corporations from all sectors to take action against HIV/AIDS on the ground.

The impact! HIV/AIDS campaign was born of a partnership between the organisations, it aims to increase companies action against HIV/AIDS on the ground in the form of economic development, care and support of HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children, healthcare, and emergency relief and development.

impact! HIV/AIDS is a customisable engagement and communication programme that activates and enables corporate involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The programme allows companies to affect change immediately by providing plug-and-play sustainable development programmes in badly affected regions of the world, and by helping companies generate a customised communication campaign designed to engage employees, shareholders and customers in the issues at hand.

?As leaders in society, companies have a responsibility to not just sit and watch as AIDS continues to kill tens of millions of people,? said Trevor Neilson, executive director of the GBC.

?GBC and World Vision have devised a unique programme to fill the gap between intention and action.

?impact! HIV/AIDS offers specific ways not only for companies to become actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but also lets them measure their investment in terms of time and resources.?

Richard Stearns, president of World Vision said the AIDS pandemic has been called the greatest health crisis since the Black Plague of the Middle Ages.

?In Africa alone it has left nine million children without parents,? he said. ?But there is hope. We have found solutions to turn the tide. Now we must muster the will and develop the resources to finish the job we have started.

?The members of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS have chosen to be part of the solution, and World Vision is honoured to work alongside the GBC in its commitment to bring hope to orphans and vulnerable children affected by AIDS.?

The GBC is a rapidly expanding alliance of almost 200 international companies that are dedicated to combating the AIDS epidemic through the business sector?s unique skills and expertise.

The mission of the GBC is to harness the power of the global business community to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

For more information, please visit the GBC website at www.businessfightsaids.org.

World Vision which was founded in 1950, is a Christian humanitarian organisation, serving the world?s poorest children and families in nearly 100 countries.

With more than 50 years of results, World Vision provides health, education, agriculture, water, sanitation, and assistance to small business projects that help millions of people in their communities, helping transform the lives of children and families in need without regard to their religious beliefs, gender, race, or ethnic background. For more information, visit www.ImpactAIDS.org.