Everywhere Project: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for 'gay' and MSM businesses (2008-2010)

The Everywhere Project was a two-year pilot project co-funded by the European Commission’s Public Health Programme between 2008 and 2010 and led by Dr Nigel Sherriff from the Centre for Health Research at the University of Brighton. Comprising 17 partners from eight European countries, it included a combination of public health administrations (PHAs), academic organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and an organisation uniting ‘gay’ business owners. The consortium brought together representatives from the four key sectors necessary to facilitate intersectoral working and capacity building regarding settings based HIV prevention targeting MSM in Europe.

Everywhere was the first scheme to develop and pre-test a common framework for HIV/STI prevention in gay businesses across eight European countries (UK, Italy, France, Poland, Cyprus, Slovenia, Hungary, and Spain). This framework sets out HIV/STI prevention standards for different types of gay businesses (sex venues, social spaces, hotels, gay dating websites, and travel agencies) that were common across partner countries. These Everywhere Standards set out a series of actions which, if adopted, lead to the businesses to being awarded with a seal of quality: either the Everywhere Minimum or Premium Seal of Approval. These two Seals certify businesses as being socially responsible in HIV prevention and caring for its customers' health.

Project timeframe

This project commenced in 2008 and ended in 2010.

Project aims

The overarching aim of the Everywhere project was to develop and pre-test an innovative European model of HIV prevention focusing on Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) for use across Europe, and particularly in ‘gay destinations’ and other European capital cities. Other objectives were to:

  • Gain the commitment of ‘gay’ businesses in HIV/STI prevention activities through the process of social Mediation
  • Create and train a network of social mediators  specialised in accessing ‘gay ‘businesses
  • Develop HIV/STI prevention standards for different ‘gay’ business types (e.g. sex venue, bar, hotel, website) that are common across the eight partner countries
  • Pre-test the Everywhere framework by piloting the action for five months.

Project impact

Everywhere is a voluntary European code that sets out a series of HIV /STI prevention standards for gay businesses. If businesses adopt these standards, they are then certified with the Everywhere Seal of Approval. The standards are differentiated (either Minimum or Premium) to reflect different levels of commitment and/or achievement of the business.

The principles set out in the Everywhere Standards for gay businesses include:

  • condoms and lubricant provision
  • information availability
  • staff knowledge about Everywhere
  • a safer environment
  • welcoming of outreach workers
  • regular knowledge updates for staff
  • commitment to anti-discrimination.

A requirement of certification is that the Everywhere Seal is displayed publically by the business enabling MSM travelling across partner countries to easily recognise Everywhere approved gay businesses. This empowers customers to make conscious choices to use those businesses certified with the Everywhere Seal of Approval (Minimum or Premium) knowing they can expect consistent HIV/STI prevention standards. This European dimension is a one of the strongest and most important aspects of Everywhere.


To date, Everywhere has been presented in over 18 countries across Europe and globally. Achievements have included:

  • Scoping research of 8 European countries focusing on identification of good and promising practices focusing on HIV/STI prevention for MSM (see Hernandez et al., 2008)
  • In-depth individual interviews with 54 business owners in 8 European countries (see Sherriff et al., 2013)
  • Development of a Social Mediator ‘Train the Trainers’ course and associated workbook (see Tunstall, 2009)
  • Production of Everywhere branded HIV/STI prevention materials (condom wallets, leaflets for businesses, leaflets for customers, bookmarks, posters etc)
  • The development of consensus built HIV/STI standards common across all eight participating partner countries
  • Development of indicators and assessment and monitoring procedures (see Friboulet et al., 2010a)
  • Creation of the Everywhere Seal of Approval
  • Creation and training of a 46 strong Everywhere Social Mediator Network responsible for assessing, monitoring, and awarding businesses the Everywhere Seal of Approval (Minimum of Premium)
  • 83 businesses certified with the Everywhere Seal of Approval during a five month pilot action
  • Production of the Everywhere Manual (see Sherriff et al., 2010b)
  • 38 presentations in over 18 countries, and 30 press releases
  • Application submitted to explore Everywhere in Hong Kong
  • Completion of a feasibility study to adapt Everywhere to the Japanese context (see Sherriff 2012a, 2012b).

Research team

Dr Nigel Sherriff 

Dr Tomas Hernandez

Dr Liz McDonnell (2009-2010)

Lizzy Pottinger (2010)

Fiona Sutton

Glynis Flood

Outputs

Sherriff, NS, Koerner, J, Kaneko, N, Shiono, S, Takaku, M, Boseley, R, and Ichikawa, S (2015) Everywhere in Japan: An international approach to working together with commercial ‘gay’ businesses and community organisations in HIV prevention for Men who have Sex with Men. Health Promotion International (published in English and Japanese).

Sherriff, NS and Gugglberger, L (2014) A European Seal of Approval in HIV prevention for ‘gay’ businesses: findings from an HIV prevention pilot project in eight European countries. Perspectives in Public Health, 134 (3) 150-159.

Sherriff, NS, McDonnell, E, Tunstall, B, Bogen-Johnston, L, and O’Brien, O (2013) Engaging ‘gay’ businesses in HIV Prevention ‘Everywhere’: findings from a qualitative study in eight European Cities. Health Education Journal, 72 (1) 13-23.

Sherriff, NS (2015) Making gay business the frontline in the fight against HIV, 30 October 2015.

Sherriff, NS (2012) A feasibility study to explore the piloting of the Everywhere Project in Japan. Report to the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. Brighton: University of Brighton.

Sherriff, NS and Ichikawa, S (2012) Everywhere: Engaging 'gay' businesses in HIV Prevention: Feasibility workshops to explore the piloting of the Everywhere Project in Japan. Report to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Research Group on HIV Prevention Policy, Program Implementation and Evaluation among MSM as part of a Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention's (JFAP) Fellowship. Brighton: University of Brighton.

Sherriff, NS (2011) A methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM): The Everywhere Project. Final report to the European Commission. Brighton: University of Brighton.

Sherriff, NS, McDonnell, L, Sutton, F, Tunstall, B, Friboulet, D, Alexandre, A, Martín-Pérez, A, Hernández-Fernández, T on behalf of the Everywhere Consortium (2010). Everywhere: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for ‘gay’ and MSM businesses. Brighton: University of Brighton.

Pottinger, E, McDonnell, E, and Sherriff, NS (2010) The Everywhere Project: Continuous and Final Evaluation. Final report on behalf of the Everywhere Project Consortium, Brighton: University of Brighton.

Friboulet, D, Alexandre, A, McDonnell, E, Sherriff, NS, and Tunstall, B (2010) Everywhere Assessment Tool for the Everywhere Minimum and Premium Seal of Approval. Final report on behalf of the Everywhere Project Consortium, Brighton; University of Brighton.

Sherriff, NS (2009) A methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM). The Everywhere Project. Interim report to the European Commission: Brighton, University of Brighton.

Presentations

Sherriff, NS (2014) HIV Everywhere: Europe and Japan. Invited presentations to HIV NGO members and local gay businesses, 4-8 December 2014, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.

Sherriff, N.S. (2014) The Everywhere framework for HIV prevention among MSM using ‘gay’ businesses. Invited paper and expert panel member at the HIV/AIDS Media Cluster meeting ‘Joining together to tackle HIV in Europe by using the Health programme project results’, 12-13th June 2014, Athens, Greece.

Sherriff, N.S. (2013) The Everywhere Framework for HIV Prevention in ‘gay’ businesses. Invited speaker to the EC session on HIV Prevention in Europe at the XVI National Aids Impact Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 29th Sept – 2nd Oct. 2013.

Sherriff, N.S. (2013) Lessons learned from the HIV-COBATEST and other experiences of other European HIV Projects. Invited discussant for the EC open session on European HIV Prevention at the HIV-COBATEST Final Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 27th September, 2013.

Sherriff, N.S. (2012) Everywhere: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for ‘gay’ and MSM businesses. Invited presentation to the Annual Meeting of the Study Group on the Development of Community Based HIV Prevention for MSM, Tokyo, Japan, 21-22nd January, 2012.

Sherriff, N.S. (2012) MSM and HIV: Recent developments in the UK and Europe. Invited presentation to the School of Nursing, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan, 18th January, 2012.

Sherriff, N.S., Tunstall, B., Martín-Pérez, A., Hernandez, T., Arribas, M., López, G., Expósito, A., Soriano, R., Rico, J., Aguirre Martín-Gil, R., Alexandre, A., and Friboulet, D., (2011) Everywhere: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for ‘gay’ and MSM businesses. Special session on Business & Pleasure: The Role of Commercial Actors in Prevention at The Future of European (HIV) Prevention among Men who have Sex with Men (FEMP), 9-10th November, 2011, Stockholm, Sweden.

Sherriff, N.S. (2011) Everywhere: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for ‘gay’ businesses. Invited external expert presentation for European Commission HIV/AIDS Think Tank, Brussels, Belgium, 28-29th June 2011.

Martín-Pérez Rodriguez, A., Morán Arribas, M., Lopez, G., Lara Expósito, A., Sherriff, N.S., Sutton, F., Soriano Ocón, R., Rico Bermejo, J., Aguirre Martin-Gil, R. (2011) Validación de los estándares del proyecto Europeo Everywhere para acreditar la participación del sector privado en la prevención del VIH para HSH. Paper presented at the XIV Congreso Nactional Sobre el Sida, 15-17th June, 2011, Zaragoza, Spain.

Sherriff, N.S. (2011) The Everywhere Manual: A European Seal of Approval in HIV Prevention for ‘gay’ businesses. Invited external expert presentation for the H-CUBE project, Ministry of Health, Warsaw, Poland, 16-17th May 2011.

Sherriff, N.S. (2010) Engaging ‘gay’ businesses in HIV Prevention focusing on Men who have Sex with Men (MSM): The Everywhere Project. Invited lecture to the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, 1st November 2010.

Sherriff, N.S., Martín-Pérez Rodriguez, A., and Tunstall, B. (2010) The Everywhere Concept: A European methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men. Paper presented at Everywhere Final Dissemination Seminar of the Everywhere Project, Ministerio de Sanidad y Política Social, Madrid, Spain, 9-10th September, 2010.

Sherriff, N.S., Tunstall, B., and Malkuszewski, T. (2010) Engaging the business sector across Europe in HIV prevention that targets Men who have sex with men (MSM). Poster presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference, 18-23 July 2010, Vienna, Austria.

Sherriff, N.S. (2010) Building capacity and commitment of the business sector EVERYWHERE: HIV prevention targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) in 8 European countries. Poster presented at the 20th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, 11-15 July 2010, Geneva, Switzerland.

Martín-Pérez, A., Morán, M., Lopez, G., del Carmen Olmedom, M., Ultra, J., Rico, J., Aguirre, R., Sherriff, N.S., McDonnell, L., Sutton, F. (2010) Estándares para la participación del sector privado en la prevención del VIH dirigida a HSH: Proyecto Everywhere. Paper presented at the XIII Congreso Nactional Sobre el Sida, 16-18th June, 2010, Santiago de compostela, Spain.

McDonnell, L., and Sherriff, N.S. (2010) Everywhere. Un modelo metodológico europeo de prevención del VIH en HSH. Paper presented at the Vulnerability and HIV in Europe conference, 13th April, 2010, Madrid, Spain.

Tunstall, B. and Mcdonnell, L., and Sherriff, N.S. (2010) Building Social Responsibility in Gay Venues. Plenary session presented at the 13th Annual CHAPS Conference, 2nd-3rd March 2010, Sheffield.

Sherriff, N.S. and Hernandez, T. (2009) The Everywhere Project: A European methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (2008-2010). Poster presented at the 2nd European Public Health Conference on Human Ecology and Public Health, 25-28th November, 2009, Lodz, Poland.

Sherriff, N.S. (2008) Men who have Sex with Men (MSM): The Everywhere Project and a brief epidemiological overview of the UK and Brighton. Invited presentation to the Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe meeting of MSM-prevention in Europe, Berlin, Germany, 13th-15th November, 2008.

Sherriff, N.S. and Hernandez, T. (2009) The Everywhere Project: a methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM). Poster presented at the 5th International Aids Society conference HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in South Africa, Cape Town, 19-22nd July, 2009.

Sherriff, N.S. (2009) Modelo metodologico de prevencion del VHI en hombres que tienen sexo con hombres: En todas partes, Everywhere. Paper presented at the 5th European Conference on Clinical and Social Research on AIDS and Drugs pre-meeting workshop on HIV/AIDS projects funded under the Health Programme 2003-2008, 28th April, 2009, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Sherriff, N.S. and Hernandez, T. (2009) A European methodological model of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM) Poster presented at the 5th European Conference on Clinical and Social Research on AIDS and Drugs, Vilnius, Lithuania, 28-30th April, 2009.

Media coverage

HIV in the UK and the Everywhere Project: Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (radio interview), 13 June, 2014

Everywhere Project: Finish Medical News, 13 June, 2014

Everywhere Project: Uckfield Radio, 16 August, 2010, by Jon Royle

“Everywhere: Joining Together to tackle HIV/AIDS in Europe”, 2010, Executive Agency for Health and Consumers, European Commission.

“Businesses join safer-sex campaign” 2 December, 2010, The Argus.

“University of Brighton and Terrence Higgins Trust launch new campaign”, 27 April 2010, Medical News Today.

“Campaign to combat rise in HIV cases”, 4 December, 2009, The Argus.

“University study establishes HIV award”, 28 September, 2009, Pink News.

“Project spreads word on HIV Prevention at Pride, 1 August, 2009, The Argus.

“University of Brighton leads fight against HIV in Europe tourist hotspots”, 1 December, 2009, Brighton and Hove News. 

Partners

Everywhere Partner Organisations

Cyprus:

Research Unit in Behaviour & Social Issues (RUBSI) 

Slovenia:

Društvo študentski kulturni center (SKUC MANGUS)

Poland:

Społeczny Komitet ds. AIDS (SKA)

Italy (Milan): 

Associazione Nazionale Per La Lotta Contro L'aids - Sezione Lombarda (ANLAIDS)

Italy (Turin): 

Società Ricerca e Formazione (SRF) 

France: 

Syndicate National Des Enterprises Gaies (SNEG)

UK: 

Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) 

University of Brighton (Co-ordinators)

Hungary:

Háttér Társaság a Melegekért (HTM) 

Spain: 

Dirección General de Attención Primaria (DGAP) 

Fundación Triángulo