ABSTRACT
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Code of Practice on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the World of Work is a useful tool for companies, governments and trade unions. One of the strengths of the ILO Code of Practice is that it also addresses the informal sector, which is rare in the field of corporate responsibility codes and standards: this is something that other codes and standards can learn from the ILO Code model. HIV/AIDS screening should not be required of job applicants or persons in employment. Access to personal data relating to a worker's HIV status should be bound by the rules of confidentiality consistent with the ILO's code of practice on the protection of workers' personal data, 1997. HIV infection is preventable. Prevention of all means of transmission can be achieved through a variety of strategies which are appropriately targeted to national conditions and which are culturally sensitive.
