Merck is committed to respecting human rights as defined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its subsequent changes, the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the core labor standards set out by the International Labor Organization, and the principles of the United Nations Global Compact. We do not tolerate human rights abuses in our business operations, and comply with national and international human rights laws and treaties.

We believe in the fundamental dignity of every human being and in respecting individual rights in all of our operations, according to the following principles:

• We condemn the use of forced labor and exploitative child labor and expect our suppliers to respect this principle as well.
• We respect employees’ lawful freedom of association.
• We compensate our employees fairly to ensure that basic needs are met and provide our employees with the opportunity to improve their skills and capabilities.
• We do not discriminate at any level of the organization on the basis of race, gender, age, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetics or religious beliefs.
• We provide a safe and healthy work environment.
• We respect individuals’ right to privacy in accordance with legal and ethical standards worldwide.

Respect for human rights is embedded in the Company's code of business conduct, Our Values and Standards, which was first developed and distributed to Merck employees in 1999, and updated in 2002 and 2004. It applies to all employees worldwide. Every new employee receives training based on Our Values and Standards, including considerations related to key human rights.

In 2007, Merck introduced Know the Code, an online training program that complements the Company's Values and Standards classroom training. All employees worldwide are required to complete Know the Code. Managers also are required to complete Safe to Speak Up, which emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where every employee is comfortable to raise workplace issues without fear of retaliation. In 2008, we rolled out Safe to Speak Up training for non-managers as well.

As a company, we recognize the importance of ensuring adherence to international human rights standards in our supply chain. In 2007 Merck introduced a detailed Supplier Ethical Assessment. This assessment lays out Merck's detailed ethical requirements of suppliers — surveying policies, management practices (including Labor and Employment practices) and evidence of actual performance across a wide range of regulatory, legal, ethical and compliance topics.

Globally, we respect social dialogue in countries where labor rights may be restricted.

Governance

Merck's Vice President of Human Resources oversees Merck's labor-related human rights responsibilities and activities, working closely with our Vice President, Chief Ethics and Corporate Compliance Officer and regional Human Resources Vice Presidents. At the country level, local managing directors are responsible for ensuring compliance with both Merck corporate policies and national laws and regulations. Human resource professionals also receive additional skills training related to labor practices. In 2008, Merck began a process to establish global labor guidelines and principles and monitoring tools to ensure consistency worldwide. At the time of this writing, we were on track for approval and implementation of the guidelines by the end of 2009.

Mechanisms to Report Concerns

There are several ways in which employees can report suspected human rights violations, including:

• As a first step, seeking out an immediate supervisor or manager to discuss suspected violations. If the matter is not successfully resolved, or if concerns remain, employees are encouraged to pursue the issue with his or her next level of management or Human Resources.

Additional confidential mechanisms managed by the Chief Ethics and Corporate Compliance Officer include:

• The Merck AdviceLine, a telephone line available to employees around the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week, staffed by an independent organization that allows employees to remain anonymous in accordance with applicable legal standards for operation of whistleblowing hotlines.
• The Merck Ombudsman Program, which offers a "safe haven" for U.S. employees to express work-related issues without fear of retaliation. This program confidentially addresses employees' concerns about conduct that may be inconsistent with Merck's policies, practices, values and standards.