Number of new products approved (Number of products in the pipeline [Phase I–III] and under regulatory review)
1 (47)
2 (49)
5 (57)
2 (58)
Percentage of top 20 global burdens of illness addressed by our products and pipeline (as defined by WHO and excluding accidents, premature birth and self-inflicted injuries)[c]
53
60
N/A
N/R
Phase II-V clinical trials initiated (in number of countries) [d,e]
36 (62)
45 (54)
43 (49)
N/R
Manuscripts of clinical trial results and related papers submitted to peer-reviewed journals
Percentage of required employees who took Know the Code training
90
90
N/A
N/A
Percentage of response to disclosure statement on conflicts of interest
99.9
97
95
93
Number of calls to the Merck AdviceLine
151
149
77
80
Number of calls to the Office of Ethics/Ombudsman
583
600
597
770
Percentage of substantiated (including alternative findings) allegations to concerns/issues raised in connection with our Code of Conduct through AdviceLine or Office of Ethics/Ombudsman[i]
10.9
9.5
8.3
10.2
Number of warning letters or untitled letters from DDMAC or APLB
0.0
N/R
N/R
N/R
Merck operations at significant risk of forced or compulsory labor, incidents of child labor, or violations of the right to exercise freedom of association and collective bargaining
Political contributions (U.S., Canada, Australia) ($US)[p]
US: 597,775
US: 470,625
US: 611,975
US: 337,140
AUS: 5,040
AUS: 19,195
AUS: 20,292
AUS: 12,137
CAN: 30,695
CAN: 58,396
CAN: 45,765
CAN: 46,700
Portion of dues that major U.S.-based trade associations report to us as being used for advocacy and/or political activities in the U.S., where dues are > $50,000 ($USM)[q]
$6.8 million paid to 8 groups
$6.9 million paid to 8 groups
N/A
N/A
Compliance with political contgribution evaluation criteria used by the Center for Political Accoluntability
Merck's philanthropic contributions (total cash and product) ($USM)
821
828
826
1,039
Cash contributions ($USM)
55
62
58
60
KEY
N/A: not applicable; N/D: no data; N/R: not reported; many of these indicators are new for Merck and for this reason some prior year data points are not reported.
[a]
Amounts from 2008 include a gain on distribution from AstraZeneca LP, a gain related to the sale of the Company's remaining worldwide rights to Aggrastat, the favorable impact of certain tax items, the impact of restructuring actions, additional legal defense coats and an expense for a contribution to The Merck Company Foundation.
[b]
Research activities and investments include all Merck divisions.
[c]
The decrease in 2008 is due mainly to the changing nature of the Global Burden of Disease as defined by WHO.
[d]
We have modified this KPI from last year to report clinical trials initiated vs. clinical trials conducted.
[e]
Prior year data have been adjusted due to a change in methodology.
[f]
We value our product donations based on the U.S. wholesale price. The decrease in product donations is due in large part to declining patient enrollment in our Corporate U.S. Patient Assistance Program, attributed in part to an increasing number of patients with prescription drug coverage, including through the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, which began in January 1, 2006. Figure includes Merck Medical Outreach Program (including ACHAP), the Merck MECTIZAN Donation Program, and Merck U.S. Patient Assistance Program.
[g]
Totals include the U.S. Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program and are based on the U.S. wholesale price. Decrease in numbers due in part to increasing number of patients with prescription drug coverage, including Medicare Prescription Drug Program.
[h]
Major is defined as with an investment by Merck of more than $500,000 per year and/or engagement with a national government. Therefore, in 2008 these included ACHAP, AAI, C-MAP, Diabetes Alliance, GARDASIL Access Program, MCAN, MDP, MISE, MMOP, MVN-A, ROTATEQ Access Program, and the UN Foundation Measles Initiative.
[i]
When Merck substantiates allegations of ethical misconduct, it imposes a variety of disciplinary actions on those responsible for the misconduct, such as dismissal from the Company, issuance of final written warning letters and financial penalties.
[j]
The increase in the number of environmental events is due primarily to a modified Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection interpretation in late 2006 that resulted in reporting of spills, such as chilled water spills into storm water drains, that were not previously required to be reported.
[k]
Reflects a significant environmental settlement ($1,575,000) paid in early 2008 associated with three spills that occurred in 2006.
[l]
In accordance with U.S. EPA Climate Leaders protocol, GHG generation baseline data have been adjusted to remove facilities that have been sold.
[m]
Data unavailable for a site sold at end of 2007.
[n]
Prior year data have been modified to reflect corrections identified after publication of previous report.
[o]
2007 was the first year we collected non-hazardous waste generation and recycling data. Data should be considered estimates.
[p]
Totals reflect corporate contributions. Employee contributions through the Merck PAC are not included. Political contributions in the U.S., which are for state candidates, are always much greater in even-numbered calendar years, because that is when most states hold their elections for state legislatures and governors.
[q]
Because the U.S. tax law that requires this reporting does not apply outside the United States, trade associations do not provide break-outs of lobbying expenditures from membership dues. Thus, Merck is unable to report this data in other countries. This line includes dues for advocacy purposes for major U.S. national and regional associations where dues are $50,000 or more.
[r]
Survey not conducted prior to 2006.
[s]
Overall turnover includes all types of turnover including restructuring.
[t]
LTIR/RIR: Calculated per OSHA methodology.
[u]
Change made in definition of accidents to include only business-related accidents.
[v]
We no longer report percentage of facility visits conducted of potential manufacturers of new business as our screening surveys are adequate for exploratory purposes. We have, therefore, removed the percentage of facility visits from our list of KPIs
[w]
Survey first conducted in 2007.
The content on this page was last modified on September 15, 2009.
Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, and Schering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ, USA, are now one company. We have combined our global operations under the name Merck & Co., Inc. We are working to update our corporate responsibility Web site to reflect our new, combined, global organization.
