Tata Steel, India's premier private sector steel plant, was conferred the prestigious Global Business Coalition Award (GBC) for 2003 for Business Excellence in the Community for the company's outstanding HIV/AIDS awareness work in Jamshedpur, at a ceremony held on June 11, 2003 in Washington, DC, USA. The Tata Group Chairman, Mr. Ratan N Tata received the award from Mr. Juergen Schrempp, Chairman, GBC and Chairman and CEO, DaimlerChrysler Corporation. Mr. Colin Powell, Secretary of State, USA, was the keynote speaker. Mr. B. Muthuraman, Managing Director, Tata Steel was also present on the occasion. The company has been selected for its leadership and innovation demonstrated in community responses to the epidemic. Previous award winners include leading companies such as Chevron Texaco, Daimler Chrysler, Pan Pacific Hotels and Unilever. Standard Chartered Bank was honored with the Workplace Award at the same function. This is the first time that an Asian company has been conferred with this award.

The Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS is an alliance of over a hundred major international companies dedicated to combating the disease. It was founded to promote an enlarged and enhanced business response to the challenges of HIV/AIDS. Tata Steel was one of the founding members of the Coalition. Members of the Coalition try to lead by example by forming and adopting good practices in the field. This annual award is for best practices on HIV/ AIDS prevention and for reduction of stigma and discrimination. The award to Tata Steel means that it has been recognised for its initiatives on HIV/AIDS and its model will be showcased globally for other organisations to learn from.

Social responsibility is not only a commitment for Tata Steel, but also one of its core business processes. Health and safety of employees and the community is critically interlocked with productivity and is enshrined in Tata Steel's Vision. The Company has thus taken proactive steps in AIDS prevention by spreading AIDS Awareness not only amongst its employees, but also the community at large so that the inhabitants of Jamshedpur and at other locations of its operations, remain safe from the scourge.

Tata Steel implemented its AIDS Awareness Program in 1993 with the formation of the Core Group-AIDS and by establishing an AIDS Cell to focus on this disease and formulate strategies for its control and prevention. The program targets children and the youth, socially marginalised people, domestic servants, truck and taxi drivers, barbers, migrants and casual labourers, police and army personnel. The program involves raising awareness levels, education, support for people afflicted with the virus, HIV / AIDS prevention, alleviating the impact of HIV/ AIDS, fund-raising, etc.

The Company has emphasised increasing alertness and awareness among school-going children for the greatest and most lasting impact. More than 1,500 focus group programmes are conducted each year covering a mixed population of over 100,000. Tata Steel has partnered with Orissa Aids Control Society in a safe highway program, where the company is responsible for aids awareness, education and services along 60 kms of national highway. HIV/AIDS prevention education and AIDS education has been integrated into all health education programmes run by the Company.