HIV/AIDS Initiatives

Today East London, South Africa, is a modern industrial city where Daimler aquired a manufacturing plant 60 years ago.

Daimler, East London, South Africa, supports its employees and their families.

Nelson Mandela and Jürgen Schrempp. Their shared vision: a Southern Africa without AIDS.

Jürgen Schrempp on his commitment: “The heart and soul have to be in it – it is not possible with the mind alone.”

Graffiti – the fight against the horrible disease AIDS through artistic expression!

Jürgen Schrempp is succeeded by Christoph Köpke in South Africa.

CEO of the GBC on HIV/AIDS, the late Richard Holbrooke, singer Dionne Warwick, U2 lead singer Bono and Jürgen Schrempp.

Lydia and Jürgen Schrempp at the Power Child Gala.

Mandela´s prisoner number 46664, today a symbol for the fight against AIDS.

Schrempp was already involved in the fight against AIDS as early as 1985.

Jürgen Schrempp, Tebalo Motaung, youth league activist and business man, Lydia Schrempp

For many years, Jürgen Schrempp has been dedicated his enthusiasm, heart and soul to the global fight against AIDS. He delivered a moving speech on the occasion of the 9th Festive Opera Gala for the AIDS Foundation at Deutsche Oper Berlin on November 16, 2002.

Schrempp began tackling the problems of Southern Africa early on. In 1991, the Daimler Group headed by Schrempp initiated an AIDS health and advisory program in South Africa because his motto had always been: wherever the company does business, it has to be a good corporate citizen.

As Chairman of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (former GBC, now GBCHealth), he also became involved in the fight against the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). More than 200 leading international companies came together under this worldwide organization. One of its founders and driving forces was Schrempp’s friend, diplomat Richard Holbrooke. He said: “The organization brings together the strength of the global economic community to keep the HIV and AIDS pandemic in check. This pandemic increasingly threatens the economic foundation and thus the existence of entire countries. And it continues to spread.”

SOUTHERN AFRICA INITIATIVE OF GERMAN BUSINESS

“I KNOW NO OTHER ENTREPRENEUR WHO IS AS COMMITTED TO THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS AS MY GOOD FRIEND JÜRGEN.”

Nelson Mandela

GBCHealth Mission: To leverage the full resources of the business community to meet today’s most pressing global health challenges.

In 2002, the DaimlerChrysler Group received the Global Business Coalition Award for its responsible actions and its commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Schrempp – in his capacity as Chairman of the Board – accepted the prize from Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time Kofi Annan. You can read his acceptance speech here.In 2003, Schrempp delivered the speech in honor of his close friend Ratan Tata who won the GBC Award for Business Excellence in the Community. It was a great pleasure for Schrempp, because to him, Tata Steel represents entrepreneurial responsibility at the highest level and passionate leadership.

Through its close cooperation with GBC member Daimler AG and its former chairman Jürgen Schrempp, the German AIDS Foundation also became a cooperation partner of GBC.

Since 1987, the German AIDS Foundation has been helping impoverished people who are HIV-positive. It also supports projects for those affected by the virus and collaborates with many partner organizations, umbrella associations, companies, government offices and ministries, so that together they can do even more for people who are HIV-positive.

In 1994, the Berlin Charity Gala was set up by Irina Pabst, Dr. Alard von Rohr and Alfred Weiss. Last year, the Opera Gala raised several million euros for people in need with HIV and AIDS. An equally important goal of the festive charity gala is the role it plays each year in publicizing the topic of HIV and the problems surrounding AIDS, both of which are often marginalized, and in promoting solidarity with those affected by HIV/AIDS and their families.

On the occasion of the 9th Festive Opera Gala for the AIDS Foundation at Deutsche Oper Berlin on November 16, 2002, Schrempp delivered a rousing speech and called for a stop to the AIDS pandemic.