AWARDS FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE 2003
On June 11th, 2003 over one hundred GBC members met US policy makers in a day of action to promote greater collaboration to fight the global AIDS epidemic and to persuade more businesses to join the fight.
The day included a congressional briefing, a meeting of CEOs with US Health and Human Services Secterary Tommy Thompson, and culminated with GBC's annual Awards for Business Excellence at which Colin Powell, US Secretary of State, gave the keynote presentation.
The Award Winners were
Action in the Workplace: Standard Chartered Bank
Action in the Community: Tata Steel
Congressional Briefing: Over eight senators and 4 representatives joined GBC chairman Juergen Schrempp, GBC President and CEO, Richard Holbrooke and members Miles White (Abbott), Sumner Redstone (Viacom), Chris Keljik (Standard Chartered Bank), Bharat Wakhlu (Tata Inc.), Chris Thompson (Gold Fields), Brian Brink (Anglo American) and partner Tarun Das (Confederation of Indian Industry), to discuss how business could collaborate with the US government on the successful implementation of the President's Initiative to combat HIV/AIDS (see GBC letter of support for the President's Initiative). While the bill has been approved by Congress, the actual level of funding has not yet been appropriated. GBC promised to provide active support to bipartisan efforts to ensure that the bill is fully appropriated. In addition, GBC strongly argued that South and South East Asia should not be excluded from these efforts and that the initiative incorporate all proven prevention and care technologies and approaches.
CEO Meeting with Tommy Thompson: 21 GBC members met with Secretary Thompson to learn more about his vision for business engagement in the President's initiative and the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria. Secretary Thompson expressed support for the private sector delegation's report to the Board of the Fund, outlining its approach to generate greater engagement with the private sector (Click here for the report). He also confirmed that he would attend an international meeting in Paris on July 16th to support the Global Fund, and at which a number of GBC members would also be present.
2003 Awards for Business Excellence Dinner:
The 2003 Awards for Business Excellence Dinner was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Six hundred people attended the event, including such corporate and political leaders as Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senators Frist and Kerry, World Bank President James Wolfensohn, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, DaimlerChrysler Chairman Juergen Schrempp, Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone and Coca-Cola CEO Doug Daft.
Tata Steel was awarded for it's community program in India, and Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Steel received the Award from Juergen Schrempp, GBC Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Chrysler.
Standard Chartered Bank received the workplace Award for it's Staying Alive campaign a comprehensive prevention and care program in its African branches, which will be rolled out globally this year.
Chris Keljik, Group Executive Director, received the Award from Abbot Laboratories CEO Miles White.
All speakers agreed that business can do much more to fight AIDS. Senators Frist and Kerry urged business and governments all over the world to work together on a comprehensive approach to the AIDS epidemic. The Uganden President Yoweri Museveni appealed to the United States Government to keep up with it's commitment to Africa shown through the President's 15 billion AIDS initiative and Secretary of State Colin Powell, who gave the keynote address, called AIDS an insidious and relentless foe -- more destructive than any army, any conflict, any weapon of mass destruction.