Why did Merck publish this report?

We created this report to provide information about our long-standing approach to corporate responsibility, as well as background on our initiatives in this area - some of which have existed for more than half a century. We structured the report to include information on issues that have a direct impact on our business and are viewed as critical areas by many of our audiences.

What does this report contain?

The report highlights specific areas that are integral aspects of corporate responsibility at Merck, such as:

• Our values and standards
• Access to medicines, vaccines and quality health care
• Science, innovation and quality at Merck
• Environmental, health and safety performance
• Our commitment to our communities
• Valuing our employees

This report covers information on both our 2004 corporate responsibility performance as well as some information from 2005. Much of the information on our environment, health and safety (EHS) performance is from 2003; More recent performance data on many of the areas in the report can be found at www.merck.com/cr/ near the bottom of the page under Corporate Responsibility updates.

How did Merck decide what content to include in this report?

To help determine what content was most critical to include, we used the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as a reference. The GRI is an independent organization that establishes voluntary global guidelines for reporting on corporate responsibility. We also conducted in-depth interviews with individuals at more than a dozen organizations in fields from academia to environmental policy, government officials to NGOs. The report was then prepared with the input of a large team of internal experts representing each of the relevant Merck divisions.

Will Merck issue updates to the report throughout the year?

We plan to update our corporate responsibility web page, located at merck.com/cr, as new information becomes available.

Is the content of Merck’s Corporate Responsibility web page the same as the content in Merck’s 2004-05 printed Corporate Responsibility report?

Merck.com/cr includes information from our 2004-05 corporate responsibility report, as well as more comprehensive and up-to-date information on specific corporate responsibility programs and policies. We update our online content at merck.com/cr as new information becomes available. Please check our web site periodically for the latest updates.

How can I provide feedback about Merck's corporate responsibility programs through the website?

Please respond to our Feedback Survey. Your frank and honest feedback is important to us and will be helpful as we develop future reports.

How can I get a hard copy of the report?

A copy of the report may be downloaded from this location: Download PDF