Module 3 • Ethics and social responsibility
Employees A business’s primary responsibility is towards its employees. It is important for a business to remunerate the employees in a fair way for labour provided. Yet, if a business is serious about its own long-term future, it should make additional investments in its labour force.
Examples are: • Better working conditions • Very good interpersonal relationships • Training of the workforce • Education for children of workers i.e. a crèche at work • Possible bursaries for the children
4.2 Barriers to social responsibility
Several barriers face small business managers trying to meet their social responsibility to employees:
1. Discrimination in hiring and promotion Socially responsible businesses try not to discriminate against women and other minority groups. Active steps must be taken to ensure this. Our own prejudices must first be overcome. Recognising that it exists, is a good starting point.
2. Aids
Aids is a very serious and growing health problem. Furthermore, people who carry the virus are also discriminated against. Education is the key to a successful Aids programme. Coping with Aids in the workplace requires a very clearly written policy before the need arises. Decisions must be based on facts rather than emotions. It means that you, as the owner, must be well informed on this issue.
Activity 6
In 2010 President Jacob Zuma publicly took an HIV test on World Aids Day, as part of a major new campaign by the government to demonstrate its commitment to the fight against the disease.
Source: Mail & Guardian
Two presidency sources confirmed that Zuma will take the test to signal the shift from the ambiguous messages about HIV/Aids under Thabo Mbeki’s administration.
Zuma was also the face of a nationwide campaign that encouraged citizens to undergo HIV tests, with polling stations used for the 2009 general elections being transformed into testing sites. The campaign kicked off in March 2010. This is a significant departure from government’s past position on HIV/Aids, where political leaders were not involved in awareness campaigns.
In 2001 Mbeki said in a television interview that he would not take an HIV test because “I don’t believe that stunts -- publicity stunts -- help in addressing the health needs of our people”. Zuma compelled his Cabinet to be tested publicly as part of the awareness campaign.”The president sees HIV not as just a health issue, but as a socioeconomic issue that will be with us for a long time, the mixed messages of the past harmed us; we’re trying to reverse the lost years.”
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
People with AIDS are entitled to the same rights and opportunities as people with other serious or life-threatening illnesses.
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