Merck defines diversity as the full spectrum of human differences that contribute to our individuality. We value this diversity — and seek to foster it — because it sparks innovation when employees with different perspectives work together to offer solutions to the many challenges our business and times present.

Supporting Women

We have continuously improved not only the number of women in key roles at Merck, but we have also ensured that they are being fully developed and engaged as vital leaders in the most important aspects of our business .... Read more

To recruit the best talent, our diversity and inclusion strategy seeks to ensure that candidate pools are broad and diverse — and that all applicants are treated fairly and equally — across the Company. Merck's policy is to promote equal opportunity globally. Merck's management is responsible for enforcing this policy by making thoughtful and equitable efforts to correct imbalances in our workforce globally.

We expect all Merck leaders to achieve key diversity and inclusion goals, and we use those goals to judge not only an individual manager's performance but also divisional and overall corporate performance. To this end, we have developed specific tools for defining, measuring and rewarding diversity performance. These include Affirmative Action Plans and diversity objectives on our overall company scorecard.

Diversity and inclusion are integral parts of our corporate culture and efforts to become a more customer-focused, high-performance organization. Diversity and inclusion have become more than a moral imperative they're also a strategic imperative.”- Richard T. Clark, Merck Chairman, President and CEO.

To implement our diversity strategy, we have three major resources:

Our Diversity and Work Environment Center of Excellence: Oversees the Company's integrated approach of including diversity in all business practices. The Office of Diversity is led by a Vice President of Diversity Work Environment and Employee Relations, who supports division management in creating tailored diversity initiatives that fit business needs. The Office also serves as a consultant to our Office of Ethics to resolve workplace issues involving diversity. The Office oversees compliance with local, state, federal and global regulations.

Global Constituency Groups: Merck has undertaken an innovative approach for its Diversity Strategy through the creation of the Global Constituency Groups (GCG's). Launched in 2008, the GCG goals align with Merck business priorities and support our Plan to Win. This alignment has been made possible by: the participation of global senior leaders from across the company — including an Executive Sponsor for each GCG — and the focus of the teams to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the company, in alignment with strategies for fostering alliances with key diverse customers and stakeholders. The GCG’s have enabled Merck to move from discrete, individual business unit efforts to an overarching, truly globally coordinated diversity strategy that delivers sustainable, competitive advantage.

There are 10 distinct GCG teams including:, Women, Men, Generational, Hispanic, Black, Asia Pacific, Native Indigenous, LGBT, Differently Abled, and Interfaith. Each team of 15-20 people is supported by an executive sponsor, two co-chairs, representative members from Merck globally and both Diversity and Work Environment and Human Resources representatives. The participants of the GCG’s develop and support the strategic initiatives that drive Company-wide culture change that builds upon the goal of global interdependence and collaboration, and will further enhance our efforts to become a high-performance organization that effectively leverages the full breadth and depth of our diverse global talent.

Our Employee Resource Groups: Merck's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) consist of employees with a common interest around a particular segment of the population. The employee members volunteer to serve as an educational and cultural resource for other employees and business groups within the Company, and to act as contact points with Merck's external community. The overarching mission of the ERGs is to support Merck's business goals. Currently eight U.S.-based groups exist at Merck including: Black Employee Network; Asia Pacific Network; Gay and Lesbian Employees and Allies at Merck; Merck Hispanic Organization, Disability Advisory Council, Veterans Leadership Council, the Interfaith Employee Resource Group, and Merck Women's Network. These groups include employees from all levels and are self-governed grass roots organizations. Membership in an ERG and participation in ERG-hosted events is open to any full or part-time employee.