The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) announced October 8 that Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, will serve as cochairman of the organization’s board of directors. GBC represents more than 220 companies worldwide dedicated to fighting these epidemics.

In 2008, Kent was one of 100 international CEOs who signed a GBC-organized pledge against HIV stigma and discrimination in the workplace. Coca-Cola’s companywide HIV/AIDS policy includes components on confidentiality, nondiscrimination, education, support, testing and treatment.

In 2007, GBC awarded Coca-Cola China Beverages Limited with its Business Excellence Award for work in the community. The Chinese arm of Coca-Cola’s 2005/2006 HIV campaigns reached 71 million people nationwide.

“Muhtar Kent brings to GBC not only the Coca-Cola Company’s outstanding reputation as a company dedicated to doing good, but also his personal commitment to the health and success of his employees and the communities around the world that the Coca-Cola system is a part of,” GBC president and CEO John Tedstrom said in a statement. “I am thrilled to welcome him to the GBC team and look forward to partnering with him to take the coalition and our work to new heights.”