Matthew W. Roberts, PhD, Center on AIDS & Community Health (COACH), Academy for Educational Development (AED), 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009, 202-884-8646, matthew_w_roberts@hotmail.com

Issues: Many AIDS workplace projects have focused on getting managers to permit externally led programs for their workforces. The SMARTWork approach to workplace program development requires management and labor participation and greater corporate investment. However, it is more likely to result in comprehensive and sustainable programs.

Description: SMARTWork is funded by the US Dept. of Labor and implemented by the Academy for Educational Development in Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, and Vietnam. It aims to reduce HIV infection, stigma, and discrimination at the workplace.

Lessons Learned: Though it is difficult to convince business, labor, and governmental leaders to work together, it can be done. SMARTWork’s designed to gain their commitment. For example, in Haiti, we assisted business and labor groups to work jointly on a workplace policy, resulting in its adoption by the leading business association and two unions. In Vietnam, after historically viewing AIDS as an ignorable “social evil,” SMARTWork has catalyzed change. Government is reforming the labor code and employers are implementing workplace programs.

Recommendations: Workplace initiatives can improve their chances of success by taking a bipartite approach at the enterprise level and a tripartite approach nationally. To do so, they must ensure that stakeholders are fully involved. Initially this may take greater time, but the strength and durability of resulting workplace programs make the investment worthwhile.

Learning Objectives: