Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you start Corporate Responsibility Partners (CRP)?
I started CRP along with my partners Rich Tafel and Robert Kabel as a response to request from companies we
worked with while creating CONAES and JaBCHA, the first business councils on HIV/AIDS in Mexico and Jamaica
respectively. While meeting with large and small companies to educate them about HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination
in the workplace, company representatives would often ask us to help them to “deal with other chronic diseases that
impact their employee’s health, and increase health-care cost for their companies”.
CRP’s Workplace Wellness Institute will respond to this need by providing companies operating in Mexico with a forum
to develop, implement and evaluate cutting edge workplace wellness programs that target the major causes of poor
health and rising health-care cost in the region, including diabetes, obesity, smoking, hypertension and HIV.
Why have you changed your focus from HIV/AIDS to chronic disease?
My focus has expanded to include other chronic diseases, but I remain committed to the effort to fight HIV. In fact, in
countries like Mexico and Jamaica where we have an organized effort by the business community to take a leadership
role in the fight against HIV, CRP will work with those organizations to ensure that HIV is included in any corporate
workplace wellness strategy.
I should also note that as we continue to get more and more HIV positive people into drug treatment, HIV is also
becoming a “chronic” disease, with HIV positive people living otherwise long and productive lives.
Why did you start AIDS Responsibility Project (ARP)?
In 2002, after I was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), I became much more aware
of the threat HIV posed to the countries hardest hit by the epidemic. At the same time, I came to realize how important
it was that the US government steps up its efforts to help poor countries who were otherwise not able to mount a
significant effort to fight new infections and help those already infected. In short, I felt US leadership in the global fight
against HIV was essential. I created ARP because I felt there was a need for non-governmental organizations (NGO)
capable of working with government and the private sector to educate key policy makers about the needs of those
infected and affected by HIV. I am proud that over the past 6 years, ARP has become a respected policy advocate,
and a trusted bridge between the public and private sectors.
ARP has pioneered public-private partnerships in Mexico and Jamaica while creating sustainable organizations –
CONAES and JaBCHA – which now provide a platform for the business community in these countries to take a
leadership role in the fight HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination.
Why have you focused on working with the private sector?
During an ARP organized congressional staff delegation (CODEL) to review US government funded HIV/AIDS
programs in Mexico, Jamaica, and Brazil in 2004, we held focus groups in each country with people living with HIV.
These HIV positive people shared with us heart breaking stories about the stigmatization and discrimination that had
experienced. For example, some had been repeatedly beat up and school and forced to drop out, some had been
abandoned by their spouses, some have been rejected by their families and their friends, and one woman had been
beaten by her neighbors and forced to leave her home. In addition to these stories, most of the HIV positive people we
met with in all three countries had been fired from their jobs, or harassed to the point where they were unwilling or
afraid to return to their job. And to a person, they made it clear to us that of all the discrimination they experienced, it
was the loss of their job that had the most negative impact. As one person said “being kicked out of your family, your
church, your school or your neighborhood is bad enough, but when you lose your job and you ability to provide for
yourself and your family – nothing is worse”.
I decided to work with the private sector because I realized how important the workplace is to the effort to reduce
HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, which itself is essential to the fight against HIV. If people are afraid they will lose
their job if they have HIV, or are thought to have HIV, they will not come forward to be tested and they will hide their
HIV status, both of which undermine our prevention efforts.
Are you available for public speaking engagements?
Yes. I frequently speak to business groups and health-care groups. Topics have included - Building Success Public-
Private Partnerships, Better Health through Workplace Wellness, Sustainable Partnerships, and US Leadership in the
Fight Against HIV.
Why has most of your work been outside of the United States?
After our initial visits to Mexico and Jamaica, we were able to quickly establish strong relationships with the
government in each country, with local NGOs, with partner organizations, with the companies who joined our business
councils, and with our major funder, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). At the urging of
USAID, our work in Latin America expanded beyond our initial expectations.
Why did you produce the film, “Stepping Up – America Responds to Global AIDS”?
One of ARP’s very first projects was to organize a 2003 congressional staff delegation (CODEL) to South Africa,
Botswana, and Uganda to review HIV/AIDS programs in those countries as a way of education key congressional
staffers about the need for US action against AIDS in Africa. Since I could only take a limited number of congressional
staffers to Africa, I decided to take along a film crew to create a documentary film that could be used to build support
on Capitol Hill for AIDS funding in Africa.
In 2004, the resulting film, “Stepping Up – America Responds to Global AIDS”, was premiered in Washington, DC, and
during the 2004 World AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. ARP also hosted a special screening in the US Capital
for congressional staff.
Why did you produce the music CD “What Are We Living For”?
When ARP’s Documentary film was almost complete, I thought it would be helpful to have an original theme song done
for the film. I had earlier met a young music producer, Donald “XL” Robertson who I asked to preview the film and
produce a theme song. To my surprise, over the next 10 days, XL put together a group of talented young artist who
donated their time to produce 12 original songs which ultimately became the ARP produced CD “What Are We Living
For”.
How did you get appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA)?
In 2002, I was working as Chief Policy Advisor for Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift and I got a call from the Bush
White House asking if I would be interested in serving on PACHA. I agreed, and shortly after I was appointed to
PACHA, I was asked to serve as Chairman of the International Subcommittee. The purpose of PACHA is to provide
advice to the President, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services about actions the US
Government can take to fight the AIDS epidemic here in the US, and around the world.
Why did you start Corporate Responsibility Partners (CRP)?
I started CRP along with my partners Rich Tafel and Robert Kabel as a response to request from companies we
worked with while creating CONAES and JaBCHA, the first business councils on HIV/AIDS in Mexico and Jamaica
respectively. While meeting with large and small companies to educate them about HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination
in the workplace, company representatives would often ask us to help them to “deal with other chronic diseases that
impact their employee’s health, and increase health-care cost for their companies”.
CRP’s Workplace Wellness Institute will respond to this need by providing companies operating in Mexico with a forum
to develop, implement and evaluate cutting edge workplace wellness programs that target the major causes of poor
health and rising health-care cost in the region, including diabetes, obesity, smoking, hypertension and HIV.
Why have you changed your focus from HIV/AIDS to chronic disease?
My focus has expanded to include other chronic diseases, but I remain committed to the effort to fight HIV. In fact, in
countries like Mexico and Jamaica where we have an organized effort by the business community to take a leadership
role in the fight against HIV, CRP will work with those organizations to ensure that HIV is included in any corporate
workplace wellness strategy.
I should also note that as we continue to get more and more HIV positive people into drug treatment, HIV is also
becoming a “chronic” disease, with HIV positive people living otherwise long and productive lives.
Why did you start AIDS Responsibility Project (ARP)?
In 2002, after I was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), I became much more aware
of the threat HIV posed to the countries hardest hit by the epidemic. At the same time, I came to realize how important
it was that the US government steps up its efforts to help poor countries who were otherwise not able to mount a
significant effort to fight new infections and help those already infected. In short, I felt US leadership in the global fight
against HIV was essential. I created ARP because I felt there was a need for non-governmental organizations (NGO)
capable of working with government and the private sector to educate key policy makers about the needs of those
infected and affected by HIV. I am proud that over the past 6 years, ARP has become a respected policy advocate,
and a trusted bridge between the public and private sectors.
ARP has pioneered public-private partnerships in Mexico and Jamaica while creating sustainable organizations –
CONAES and JaBCHA – which now provide a platform for the business community in these countries to take a
leadership role in the fight HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination.
Why have you focused on working with the private sector?
During an ARP organized congressional staff delegation (CODEL) to review US government funded HIV/AIDS
programs in Mexico, Jamaica, and Brazil in 2004, we held focus groups in each country with people living with HIV.
These HIV positive people shared with us heart breaking stories about the stigmatization and discrimination that had
experienced. For example, some had been repeatedly beat up and school and forced to drop out, some had been
abandoned by their spouses, some have been rejected by their families and their friends, and one woman had been
beaten by her neighbors and forced to leave her home. In addition to these stories, most of the HIV positive people we
met with in all three countries had been fired from their jobs, or harassed to the point where they were unwilling or
afraid to return to their job. And to a person, they made it clear to us that of all the discrimination they experienced, it
was the loss of their job that had the most negative impact. As one person said “being kicked out of your family, your
church, your school or your neighborhood is bad enough, but when you lose your job and you ability to provide for
yourself and your family – nothing is worse”.
I decided to work with the private sector because I realized how important the workplace is to the effort to reduce
HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, which itself is essential to the fight against HIV. If people are afraid they will lose
their job if they have HIV, or are thought to have HIV, they will not come forward to be tested and they will hide their
HIV status, both of which undermine our prevention efforts.
Are you available for public speaking engagements?
Yes. I frequently speak to business groups and health-care groups. Topics have included - Building Success Public-
Private Partnerships, Better Health through Workplace Wellness, Sustainable Partnerships, and US Leadership in the
Fight Against HIV.
Why has most of your work been outside of the United States?
After our initial visits to Mexico and Jamaica, we were able to quickly establish strong relationships with the
government in each country, with local NGOs, with partner organizations, with the companies who joined our business
councils, and with our major funder, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). At the urging of
USAID, our work in Latin America expanded beyond our initial expectations.
Why did you produce the film, “Stepping Up – America Responds to Global AIDS”?
One of ARP’s very first projects was to organize a 2003 congressional staff delegation (CODEL) to South Africa,
Botswana, and Uganda to review HIV/AIDS programs in those countries as a way of education key congressional
staffers about the need for US action against AIDS in Africa. Since I could only take a limited number of congressional
staffers to Africa, I decided to take along a film crew to create a documentary film that could be used to build support
on Capitol Hill for AIDS funding in Africa.
In 2004, the resulting film, “Stepping Up – America Responds to Global AIDS”, was premiered in Washington, DC, and
during the 2004 World AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. ARP also hosted a special screening in the US Capital
for congressional staff.
Why did you produce the music CD “What Are We Living For”?
When ARP’s Documentary film was almost complete, I thought it would be helpful to have an original theme song done
for the film. I had earlier met a young music producer, Donald “XL” Robertson who I asked to preview the film and
produce a theme song. To my surprise, over the next 10 days, XL put together a group of talented young artist who
donated their time to produce 12 original songs which ultimately became the ARP produced CD “What Are We Living
For”.
How did you get appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA)?
In 2002, I was working as Chief Policy Advisor for Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift and I got a call from the Bush
White House asking if I would be interested in serving on PACHA. I agreed, and shortly after I was appointed to
PACHA, I was asked to serve as Chairman of the International Subcommittee. The purpose of PACHA is to provide
advice to the President, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services about actions the US
Government can take to fight the AIDS epidemic here in the US, and around the world.
ARP Executive Director Abner
Mason presents ARP"s Leadership
Award to US Senator Arlen Specter
during ARP's "Renew the Battle"
Dinner in Washington DC. Sen.
Specter was the keynote speaker
for the evening.
Mason presents ARP"s Leadership
Award to US Senator Arlen Specter
during ARP's "Renew the Battle"
Dinner in Washington DC. Sen.
Specter was the keynote speaker
for the evening.
Kiwanuka, his wife and three
children in front of their home in
Tororo, Uganda with ARP
Executive Director Abner Mason
and Donald Tighe of USAID
Legislative Affairs office.
Kiwanuka, a subsistance farmer,
receives antiretroviral drug
therapy through the CDC
sponsored Home Based AIDS
Care Program in which drugs are
delivered to patients by
motorcycle because they live in
remote areas without roads,
electricity, or running water.
children in front of their home in
Tororo, Uganda with ARP
Executive Director Abner Mason
and Donald Tighe of USAID
Legislative Affairs office.
Kiwanuka, a subsistance farmer,
receives antiretroviral drug
therapy through the CDC
sponsored Home Based AIDS
Care Program in which drugs are
delivered to patients by
motorcycle because they live in
remote areas without roads,
electricity, or running water.
ARP Executive Director Abner
Mason presents the ARP
Leadership Award to Leslie
Bassett, Deputy Chief of Mission,
US Embassy in Mexico during
ARP's Corporate Social
Responsibility and HIV
Leadership Breakfast held in
Mexico City in conjuction with
the 2008 World AIDS Conference.
Mason presents the ARP
Leadership Award to Leslie
Bassett, Deputy Chief of Mission,
US Embassy in Mexico during
ARP's Corporate Social
Responsibility and HIV
Leadership Breakfast held in
Mexico City in conjuction with
the 2008 World AIDS Conference.
ARP Executiev Director Abner
Mason at COK (City of Kingston)
Credit Union with COK President
Brenda Cuthbert. Ms. Cuthbert
later became a member of the
Executive Committee for the
Jamaica Business Council on
HIV/AIDS.
Mason at COK (City of Kingston)
Credit Union with COK President
Brenda Cuthbert. Ms. Cuthbert
later became a member of the
Executive Committee for the
Jamaica Business Council on
HIV/AIDS.
Abner Mason Founder & CEO, Corporate Responsibility Partners, LLC
"workplace wellness strategy for emerging markets"
"workplace wellness strategy for emerging markets"