Merck is a company with an inspiring track record of leadership in corporate citizenship.  Initiatives such as the Merck MECTIZAN Donation Program and the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships, to name just two, have set the standard for public-private partnerships in improving access to medicines.  Merck continues to implement innovative new programs such as the ROTATEQ Access Program in Nicaragua and the China-MSD HIV-AIDS Partnership.  

The Merck Board of Directors Committee on Public Policy and Social Responsibility has reviewed Merck’s 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report.  On behalf of the Board, I am very pleased to note that Merck has made progress on several key measures, including reducing our energy demand and our greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing employee diversity, and helping to increase the number of people with access to our medicines and vaccines.  I am also glad to see the Company is instituting additional measures and pursuing more aggressive targets for the future, such as greater transparency regarding financial support to third parties. 

Significantly, Merck's corporate responsibility commitment is evident throughout the business, as demonstrated by its leadership in researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing the medicines and vaccines that make such a difference to millions of people worldwide.  Merck's recent engagement in the United Nations Global Compact is entirely consistent with its corporate values and standards.

I am gratified that Merck has been recognized for its sustainability work.  In 2008 the Access to Medicines Index ranked Merck No. 3 among global pharmaceutical companies for promoting universal access to medicines, and the only US company in the top seven.  In early 2009 Merck was ranked No. 4 on CRO Magazine's 100 Best Corporate Citizens list. This public recognition confirms what many of our global stakeholders already know: Merck is in step with the evolving demands of global business – competitive, innovative, and responsible.

Thomas E. Shenk, PhD
Chair, Merck Board Committee on Public Policy and Social Responsibility
September 2009