HIV Reporting
2005 – Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Resolved:
Shareholders request that our Board review the
economic effects of the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria pandemics on the
company’s business strategies, and its initiatives to date, and report to
shareholders within (6) months following the next annual meeting. This report, developed at reasonable costs
and omitting proprietary information, will identify the impacts of these
pandemics on the company.
Supporting
Statement:
We believe that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria pose major risks
to the long-term financial health of companies, like ChevronTexaco that operate
in developing countries. A 1999 Harvard
study found that countries with severe malaria grew 1.3% less per person per
year (Malaria, Climate & Poverty) and, according to the World
Economic Forum, “[in] the most heavily affected countries, TB decreases GDP by
4-7%”(Global Health Initiative Resource Paper, February 2002)
In addition, a new report from the World Bank says “a complete
economic collapse will occur” unless there is a response to the HIV/AIDS
pandemic. It estimates that the
HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, where our company has operations in over 50
countries and employees more than 15,000 workers, is likely to cause growth in GDP
to decline at a much higher rate than the existing estimates of .3% to
1.5%. (Long-Run Economic Costs of
AIDS, June 2003) According to the
Brookings Institute, when “overall income growth decline[s]” the “future growth
prospects” of firms operating in these countries also diminishes.”
Even more
significantly, in our opinion, these diseases can directly impact our company’s
bottom line through decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, ballooning
healthcare and disability costs, and the destruction of human capital. Steve Simpson, ChevronTexaco’s Regional
Medical Director for Africa has acknowledged that “[t]he success of our company
is inextricably linked to the health and productivity of our employees.” And
the Metropolitan AIDS Research Unit, which represents one of the largest insurance
companies in South Africa, “has repeatedly warned that without active
intervention, AIDS will cause the average cost of employee benefits [in South
Africa] to double by 2005 and treble by 2010, adding 15 percent to the average
wage bill”(Shifting the Burden of HIV/AIDS, Boston University School of Public
Health, May 2002) We feel that this estimate should be of particular concern to
shareholders of ChevronTexaco, which has extensive operations in South Africa.
We believe that the huge economic impact of HIV/AIDS, TB and
malaria makes it imperative for the boards of directors to carefully evaluate
and report to shareholders on the effects of these diseases on their
companies. In our opinion, shareholders
must fully understand the threats posed to our company by these diseases in
order to make informed decisions about its value.
We urge
shareholders to vote FOR this resolution.
Sponsors:
Lead:
Camilla Madden Charitable Trust, Judy Byron, OP Coordinator; Catholic
Healthcare West;