Merck 2014 Annual Report Download - page 65

60 GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT → FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GROUP → Corporate Responsibility
→Health: We aim to help underserved populations in low- and
middle-income countries to gain access to high-quality health
solutions.
→ Environment: A number of our innovative chemical and life
science products contribute to environmental protection or
help our customers conserve energy.
→ Culture: Culture inspires people and opens up their minds to
new possibilities. As a high-tech, research-based company, we
therefore promote cultural projects worldwide. Moreover, we
are engaged in educational projects, especially since education
is key to making culture accessible.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, supports relevant initiatives
concerning responsible governance. The company is a member of
the United Nations Global
Compact and is committed to complying
with the compact’s principles
regarding human rights, labor stan-
dards, environmental protection and anti-corruption. Moreover,
we also live our corporate responsibility through our commitment
to follow the guidelines of the Responsible Care Global Charter, an
initiative of the International Council of Chemical Associations
(ICCA). This charter aims to continuously improve the products
and services of the chemical industry in terms of environmental
protection, health, plant safety and security. The Group was among
the first companies to sign the revised version of the Responsible
Care Global Charter. In addition,
we are a member of the “Chemie3”
initiative, a collaboration be
tween the German Chemical Industry
Association (VCI), the German Employers’ Federation of the
Chemical Industry (BAVC ), and the German Mining, Chemical and
Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE). As part of this globally unique
collaboration, the partners aim to make sustainability a core part
of the chemical industry’s guiding
principles and to jointly drive
the sector’s position within the German economy as a key con-
tributor to sustainable development.
To the Group, corporate responsibility does not merely mean
taking action, but also listening. The dialogue with our various
stakeholder groups is therefore highly important to us. These
stakeholders include our employees, our business associates, the
Merck family, investors, regulatory agencies, and associations. We
also engage in a continuous exchange in order to create trans-
parency and clearly demonstrate how we live the Group's Values.
One example of this exchange is a conference held on the topic of
“ Germany needs the chemical industry. Sustainability– a prereq-
uisite for growth and prosperity?”, which the company held in
September2014 in collaboration with its Chemie3 partners, VCI,
BAVC and IG BCE. The sustainability conference took place during
the German event series entitled “The Chemistry is Right in Darm-
stadt”, which the company, Darmstadt– the city of science, and
the Technical University of Darmstadt are offering from Septem-
ber2014 to June2015. To prepare for the conference, the Group
organized an expert workshop in July 2014 with representatives
from the worlds of politics, business and society.
Thanks to good performance with respect to responsible,
sustainable entrepreneurial conduct, the company was again
included in the FTSE4Good index in 2014. To be included in
this leading international sustainability index, a company must
demonstrate socially conscientious, ecological and ethical con-
duct. In 2014, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, maintained its
good position in other major sustainability indices as well. For
instance, we were once more included in the STOXX Global ESG
Leaders index. Moreover, the company has remained listed on the
Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index, which features the 120 most
progressive companies in Europe in terms of ecological, social and
governance-related criteria.
STRATEGIC SPHERE OF ACTIVITY: HEALTH
Access to Health (A2H) is a strategic priority for Merck KGaA,
Darmstadt, Germany (see page 26 et seq.). Through our A2H
approach, which spans all our businesses, we aim to help improve
sustainable access to high-quality health solutions for under-
served populations and communities in low- and middle-income
countries. Recognizing that access is a complex and multifaceted
challenge with no one-size-fits-all solution, our programs and
initiatives are tailored to global, regional and local needs. We re-
alize that we cannot work alone to address all the access gaps and
that partnerships, collaboration and dialogue are key to delivering
sustainable access results.
Stefan Oschmann, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board,
plans to focus his presidency of the International Federation of
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) on accel-
erating access to high- quality health solutions for people in low-
and middle-income countries. Oschmann was elected President of
the IFPMA for a two- year term at the 27th IFPMA Assembly in
New York, USA in November2014.
In November2014, the Access to Medicine Foundation of the
Netherlands recognized our efforts to improve access to health. In
the 2014 Access to Medicine Index, the company ranked sixth,
moving up two places compared to 2012 and 11 places compared
to 2010. Every two years, the index assesses the world’s leading
pharmaceutical companies with respect to their activities and ini-
tiatives to promote access to medicine in developing countries.
The company’s holistic Access to Health strategy focuses on
four areas, known as the “4As of Access” framework: Availability,
Affordability, Awareness, and Accessibility. In its ranking, the
Access to Medicine Foundation particularly recognized the Group
for its strategic and comprehensive access approach and its access
initiatives.