Merck increases its corporate responsibility drive

Chemical company Merck has pledged to reduce its global carbon dioxide emissions by one-fifth by 2020, as measured against its 2006 level. The target is part of Merck’s new Corporate Responsibility Report, issued today. The company says that this will also take into account indirect emissions, meaning those released in the generation of purchased energy such as electricity and natural gas, as well as direct emissions released by the company through the burning of fossil fuels or the production process. The reduction measures focus on the 15 sites that produce 80% of Merck’s total emissions worldwide.

The report also outlines various efforts towards social responsibility undertaken by the company, including projects like the Merck-Praziquantel Donation Program, to help combat the parasitic disease schistosomiasis in African school children. Merck says that it invested nearly €8m in corporate citizenship activities in 2008.