In 2008 and 2009, we continued to collect stakeholder feedback to inform our approach to CR and how we measure our performance. This feedback helps ensure that our reporting is relevant and meaningful to our readers. We met and sought feedback both through one-on-one discussions and at various events and gatherings from: investors committed to sustainable investing, including through the Social Investment Research Analyst Network (SIRAN); analysts; shareholders groups; non-governmental organizations; academe; and Merck employees. In these discussions, we asked them for feedback on our reporting and how we could further improve it. We have reflected their comments where feasible and appropriate in our website and CR report, and are committed to considering for future reports other recommendations that we could not respond to during this reporting cycle. Some recommendations we respectfully did not agree with and we have summarized our responses in the chart below.

We will use the insights gained through these and ongoing discussions with our stakeholders to inform future reporting. We are also exploring mechanisms for more formal, ongoing stakeholder engagement.

The table below summarizes the comments made in these discussions, and Merck's response in its 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report.  

Stakeholder Recommendation	Response in 2008 report
Provide information on how Merck involves employees in the materiality assessment process	Materiality Assessment Process
Discuss Merck’s access strategy in developing and middle income markets beyond HIV products and vaccines	Improving Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Health Care
Address health implications of global warming/climate change in terms of new R&D targets, new formulations, new packaging	The changing global burden of disease means that our products are increasingly relevant to more and more people worldwide.  Beyond this, we are establishing new partnerships to increase research and development for diseases that affect developing and emerging markets countries. Researching New Medicines to Address Unmet Medical Needs Energy Use and Climate Change
Provide clearer metrics on the safety of Merck’s products	Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts
Focus on your economic impact of your operations in local communities	Our Economic Impact
Provide clearer metrics on sales and marketing of our products, such as number of violations of your marketing code	Ethical Sales and Marketing Practices
Disclose types of lobbying/public advocacy in developing countries, including number of lobbyists	Generally speaking this function is not typically staffed by our operations in developing countries.
Provide link on website to public submissions to government, list by topic (i.e., letters to public officials, etc)	We are exploring this and will report developments in future reports.
Recommend moving more details to the web for next report	We have moved information on our approach, policy and governance framework online, keeping the focus of our printed report on our performance and impact data.
Provide examples of local implementation of corporate policies	We are developing a new section on our web site containing case studies that illustrate how our corporate approaches are implemented locally.
Provide explanation of lessons Company has learned from VIOXX® experience	VIOXX® (rofecoxib) Information Center
Include more quantitative goals in environment section	Managing our Environmental Footprint
Include a more thorough description of your EHS auditing function	Safety & Environmental Compliance and Management
Provide more details about what you are doing in green procurement beyond manufacturing suppliers	Managing External Manufacturers of our Products
Provide more information on what environmental issues you advocate on from a policy perspective/what you'd like to see happen?	Product Stewardship Public Policy Position on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment