Caltex, AIDS Foundation join hands to enhance HIV and AIDS awareness amongst workforce

Wednesday, 10 July 2013 00:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Chevron Lubricants Lanka, marketer of Caltex branded lubricants in Sri Lanka, has been at the forefront of HIV and AIDS prevention in the country for several years. The Company has consolidated its efforts with mainstream HIV and AIDS eradication institutions such as the AIDS Foundation of Lanka and the Lanka Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS to actively advocate for HIV and AIDS eradication in the country. Several awareness building initiatives have been conducted to date under Chevron’s CSR umbrella in order to mitigate the spread of new infections which is currently reported as being four to five per week.

At a recent official ceremony presided by Chevron Lubricants Lanka’s Managing Director/CEO Kishu Gomes, key officials of AIDS Foundation of Lanka presented several educative posters to the Company as a gesture to commend its commitment and efforts towards this cause through the awareness programmes conducted for Sri Lanka’s workforce each year. The presentation of the posters was done at the factory in Kolonnawa and at the Caltex head office where significant issues pertaining to caution, risk aversion, and social stigma were addressed. “As a Board Member of the AIDS Foundation of Lanka, and in my capacity as a Citizen of Sri Lanka, I call upon all those who can take the lead to protect our workforce and the public at large, by raising awareness on this deadly disease. If you didn’t know, the trend is alarming and it is estimated that one infection happens every day in Sri Lanka,” commented Kishu Gomes, Managing Director/CEO of Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC. Gomes is also the present President of the Lanka Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS. The AIDS Foundation of Lanka was inaugurated in November 2008, with a Board of Management consisting of several eminent persons with experience and a proven track record in local and international organisations. The Foundation’s mission is to play a very important pivotal role in promoting comprehensive care of people living with and affected by HIV as well as supporting the numerous activities that are crucial to worthwhile preventive programs. Chevron plays an active role in HIV and AIDS prevention both globally and locally. Corporate responsibility is embodied in the organisation’s values and the way it operates. The social responsibility projects carried out by Chevron is driven largely by a commitment to socio-economic development, based on research that considers the medical, social, economic, and cultural dynamics shaping the future of Sri Lanka. According to the organisation, community partnerships and being socially responsible are fundamental to the broader success of the business as it assists in ways that help stimulate economic growth and enable communities to prosper.