More information on this topic can be found in our 2012 Corporate Responsibility Report1. Strategy and management Our corporate responsibility (CR) activities are steered by our Group-wide CR Committee, which consists of representatives from Merck’s divisions, as well as from relevant Group functions. Our ambition is to be a global company that creates added value for consumers, our market partners and the community while also helping them lead better lives. We endeavor to achieve positive recognition for Merck in society and have an obligation to operate safely as well as respect the environment. Mankind is confronted with major global issues, such as the [...]

(Click on the images below to view a brief biography of each Board member) Matthias Zachert Member of the Executive Board Chief Financial Officer Born in 1967, university degree in business administration; Joined Merck in June 2011 as a Member of the Executive Board Responsibility for Group functions: Group Accounting & Subsidiaries; Group Controlling & Risk Management; Corporate Finance; Group Tax; Group Procurement; Group Insurance; Investor Relations Stefan Oschmann Member of the Executive Board CEO Pharmaceuticals Born in 1957, veterinarian; Joined Merck in January 2011 as a Member of the Executive Board Responsibility for Group functions: Patents & [...]

Based on a corporate culture that places the fundamental company values – courage, achievement, responsibility, respect, integrity and transparency – at the center of our entrepreneurial actions, the Code of Conduct helps those involved in the business process to implement the values when dealing with one another on a daily basis. Merck has created the Code of Conduct as a set of rules and regulations intended to help our employees to act responsibly and to make the right decisions in their daily work. The Code of Conduct explains the principles for dealings with business associates, general partners, colleagues, and employees, as well as the communities in [...]

[...] general partners or for regulating the terms and conditions of their contracts. This is the responsibility of E. Merck KG. Nor does the Supervisory Board have the authority to issue rules of procedure for the Executive Board or a catalogue of business transactions requiring approval. This authority likewise belongs to E. Merck KG (Article 13 (3) sentence 1 and (4) sentence 1 of the Articles of Association). However, the fact that the Supervisory Board has no possibilities to directly influence the Executive Board restricts neither its information rights nor audit duties. The Supervisory Board must monitor the Executive Board in terms of legality, regularity, [...]

Merck sees itself as part of the community, not only at its individual locations, but also at global level. Taking responsibility towards society is an integral part of our entrepreneurial approach. We believe that we can make an important contribution to society through our knowledge, our skills and our products. Our social responsibility activities are primarily focused on those areas in which we have specific expertise stemming from our core businesses. We are thus engaged in health care projects and support education, specifically in the natural sciences. We provide disaster relief in emergency situations, especially in those regions in which we also do [...]