Merck Publishes Corporate Responsibility Report 2011

Merck is again included in the “FTSE4Good” responsible investment index

11-Apr-2011 - Germany

What areas of sustainable development is Merck KGaA focusing on? Where is the company taking on responsibility for products, the environment, employees and society? What sustainability goals has the pharmaceutical, chemical and life science company set itself for the coming years? Answers to these questions can be found in the Corporate Responsibility Report 2011, which Merck published.

The company also announced that for the third year in a row, it has qualified for inclusion in FTSE4Good, a widely used responsible investment index. FTSE4Good, which is published annually by The Financial Times and London Stock Exchange, evaluates the social responsibility of corporate entities and helps investors to make investment decisions. To be included as an index constituent, companies must meet demanding criteria covering areas such as environmental protection, safety, operating procedures, and sustainable company management.

“Our actions are, of course, oriented to business success,” said Dr. Karl-Ludwig Kley, Executive Board Chairman of Merck. “At the same time, we respect and serve the interests of employees, customers and suppliers, investors, and society. Social and environmental responsibility are not a luxury to us, but rather an integral part of our corporate culture.”

The 72-page report presents the activities Merck is undertaking to demonstrate its corporate responsibility and its commitment to good corporate citizenship. Pharmaceutical and chemical safety plays a major role, as do reducing greenhouse gas emissions, avoiding waste, conserving energy, and recycling. Spending on environmental protection, health and safety alone totaled EUR 140 million in 2010.

Merck shows how it is living up to its corporate responsibility for society through health care projects for socially disadvantaged people and by promoting education, culture and sports. The company's spending on corporate social responsibility projects amounted to EUR 6.9 million in 2010.

Another chapter of the report looks at the company's responsibility for its employees. This includes measures to attract and promote talented employees, to offer advanced training, to further diversity in the workforce, to help employees reconcile the demands of family and career, as well as occupational safety activities.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/131849/merck-publishes-corporate-responsibility-report-2011.html