The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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Partnerships - Private Sector - Strategy - examples from HIV/AIDS

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Summary

Corporate Response to HIV/AIDS


This was a study of the responses of 203 companies in 14 countries to the issue of HIV/AIDS - including the mobilisation of the communication capacities of those companies.


Outlines the links that major multi-national companies make between their prime activities and the impact on HIV/AIDS that can come from a connection to those services and products.


Specific activities mentioned include: employee training; media campaigns; communication materials; public advocacy; support to communication groups; use of internal communications such as company newsletters.


Covers 203 companies - 5 examples of which include - Glaxo; Digital; Levi Strauss; Guinness; and Apple.


73.1% of responding companies have AIDS related programmes.


45.3 % of the companies developed and/or issued communication materials.


Other communication related activities included education and training [45.3%]; counseling [41.4%]; Employee task forces [10.8%].


Most common reasons to address HIV/AIDS are welfare of employees with HIV; general safety and disease prevention; and legal implications.


Impact of activities


Only 4 companies indicated that they could determine a return on their investment in HIV/AIDS related activities Most companies indicated that the company benefited from reduced health care costs; improved public image, and increased sales.


Overall companies felt that their HIV/AIDS related initiatives had a positive impact on employees commitment to the company [52.1% of respondents] and attitudes [66.7%].


Examples


Apple Computer: Established a new nationwide computer network designed to service the needs of hundreds of agencies and thousands of individuals related to HIV/AIDS.


Body Shop: Campaigns publicly on HIV/AIDS issues; works with suppliers in developing countries; works on campaigns with key NGOs; distributes awareness materials; supports developing country suppliers to create HIV/AIDS programmes.


Chevron: Supplies clean needles to hospitals in Angola.


Guinness: Developed world-wide employee protection and education programmes with special attention to Africa, other countries in the developing world and to country managers. Developed education pack for employers and employees in Asia-Pacific Region.


Johnson and Johnson: Product to Give: produce one-third of certain products solely t serve the needs of international agencies - including ones active in HIV/AIDS.


Levi Strauss: Marketing function directly supports HIV/AIDS fundraising and educational activities globally - eg the photo history of HIV/AIDS sufferers; undertakes lobbying and public advocacy on HIV/AIDS issues.

Source

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The business response to HIV/AIDS: Innovation and partnership. Geneva and London: UNAIDS and The Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum, 1997.