Merck 2014 Annual Report Download - page 66

61GROUP MANAGEMENT REPORT → FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GROUP → Corporate Responsibility
Availability
Availability entails the research, development and refinement of
health solutions that address unmet needs and are tailored to local
environments. Through partnerships and innovative alliances,
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is working to tackle diseases
most affecting developing
countries. One example is our engage-
ment within the Pediatric
Praziquantel Consortium. Through this
public-private partn
ership, the Group is developing a pediatric
formulation of praziquantel to
treat the worm disease schistoso-
miasis. In March2014, the
consortium was awarded a prestigious
research grant from the Japanese Global Health Innovation
Technology Fund. Another example is our partnership with the
non-profit research foundation Medicines for Malaria Venture, to
develop new anti-malarials.
Affordability
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, seeks to address affordability
challenges by providing assistance to those who are unable to pay
for the health solutions they need. To tackle these challenges, we
have taken a pro-access approach through our intellectual property
initiatives and are engaging in equitable pricing strategies. In
2014, the Group joined WIPO Re:Search, an open innovation plat-
form sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
With over 90 members worldwide, the platform accelerates early
discovery for infectious diseases through intellectual property and
knowledge sharing. Furthermore, the company is supporting the
World Health Organization (WHO) in the fight against the worm
disease schistosomiasis in Africa. The company donates Cesol®
600 tablets containing the active ingredient praziquantel to WHO.
In 2014, the Group’s donation to WHO amounted to more than
72million tablets. Since the start of the program, over 54 million
patients, primarily children, have been treated. At the end of
2014, the company joined with partners to establish the Global
Schistosomiasis Alliance in order to help eliminate schistosomiasis
worldwide.
Awareness
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, contributes to raising aware-
ness by providing health workers, communities and patients with
appropriate tools, knowledge, information and skills to help them
make informed decisions. In its report on the Guiding Principles
on Access to Healthcare (GPAH), the corporate network Business
for Social Responsibility (BSR) recognized the Access Dialogues
initiated by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, as a best practice
for information exchange and discussion between public and
private stakeholders. In India, the Group initiated the Suswastha
project. The aim is to provide underserved rural populations with
affordable health solutions and to engage patients through com-
munity-level meetings as well as educative health programs. The
Global Pharma Health Fund, a charitable organization funded by
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, fights counterfeit medicines
in developing countries and emerging economies. Additionally,
within the scope of the Capacity Advancement Program (CAP) of
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, the company seeks to improve
access to and the quality of diabetes treatment in Africa and India.
Accessibility
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, promotes initiatives to
strengthen supply chains and to develop localized health solutions
in order to deliver and reach out efficiently at the point of care.
One example is the Group’s Temptation Project, which uses heat
and humidity sensors to monitor transportation conditions of all
its products shipped from Europe to the rest of the world. Further-
more, the company supports the expertise and training of manag-
ers in Africa, Asia and Latin America to strengthen local quality
manufacturing standards. The BSR GPAH status report recognized
the River Ambulance in India as an innovative approach to reach-
ing underserved populations. The company supports the non-gov-
ernmental organization River Narmada Samagra, which among
other things transports health workers and provides solutions to
local populations living in the remote region along the Narmada
River.
STRATEGIC SPHERE OF ACTIVITY:
ENVIRONMENT
Through our products, we are helping to overcome global
challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity. At the
same time, we are also helping our customers achieve their own
sustainability goals.
Developing sustainable products
We strive to continuously enhance the sustainability footprint of
our products and are working to offer our customers products that
enable them to reduce the negative impact of their own activities,
as well as to achieve their own sustainability goals. For instance,
we are developing innovative materials for energy-efficient liquid
crystal and OLED displays and are thus helping our customers
develop environmentally sustainable processes. Thanks to liquid
crystals from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, displays con-
sume approximately 20 % less energy in comparison to the pre-
ceding generation of technology. The new UB FFS technology
(ultra-brightness fringe field switching) provides displays with
up to 15 % more light transmittance, thus further reducing energy
consumption. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is also devel-
oping liquid crystals for new applications. For instance, we are
working with architects, glass makers and facade manufacturers
to create the windows of tomorrow. Our ambitious goal is to use
smart windows to make buildings more energy- efficient.