Merck Named as Leader in Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index
April 24, 2012 7:08 am ET
Ranking Underscores Merck’s Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
has been named as a leader in the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index
(CII), which identifies global companies that demonstrate superior
management, mitigation and adaptation in climate innovation.
Merck ranked 45th out of the top 100 global companies (and 17th among
the top 100 U.S. companies), out of a total universe of more than 300
companies that were reviewed. Merck placed third out of the 10
pharmaceutical companies that made the global ranking.
“Merck’s ranking in the top 100 of Maplecroft’s CII reflects its
continued commitment to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions,” said
Alyson Warhurst, chief executive officer of Maplecroft. “Demonstrated by
its attainment of previous targets to reduce GHG emissions, Merck has
implemented successful schemes across the business, developing
efficiency metrics for all energy intensive processes/equipment, and is
using these metrics to improve performance. The establishment of a
dedicated Center of Excellence in Energy to identify and implement
innovative practices, together with new targets to reduce emissions by
10 percent by 2015, helped ensure Merck’s particularly strong scores in
the management and adaption sections of the CII’s.”
The Index is based on public disclosures and direct engagement with
companies. Maplecroft rated each company against more than 100 criteria
including: technological innovation and new working practices to combat
climate change impacts; management of climate-related issues; adaption
to physical climate-related risks, such as flooding or more extreme
weather events throughout the supply chain; and, the reduction of
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Index is designed to enable
investors to identify the most resilient and innovative companies with
the best long-term growth prospects.
“Climate change will affect business in unexpected ways, such as
altering demand for existing products based on their climate-related
impacts and by driving the demand for innovative sourcing,
manufacturing, logistics, usage and recycling,” states Maplecroft
Director, Kevin Franklin, Ph.D. “With growing legislation and regulation
in the United States around emissions and climate change disclosure,
companies must innovate or be left behind. The CIIs favor front-runners
that are engaging proactively to shape the future growth environment,
that have clear and efficient business processes and robust governance /
business models.”
Merck has made it a priority to reduce our demand for energy since
establishing our first corporate energy policy in 1994. Merck’s Center
of Excellence in Energy is responsible for identifying and implementing
best practices for reducing energy use across the company. “At Merck, we
have a long history of environmental responsibility and compliance. But
we know that the world’s current approach to resource use is not
sustainable,” said Tom Pagliuco, director of Merck’s Center of
Excellence in Energy. “We believe companies share the responsibility of
making business decisions that create a sustainable economy and serve as
the foundation for a world that thrives financially, environmentally and
socially.”
For more information on Merck’s environmental sustainability strategy,
including goals to reduce Merck’s energy use and GHG emissions, visit www.merckresponsibility.com.
About Merck
Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be
well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.
Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and
consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and
operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health
solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For
more information, visit www.merck.com
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Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include,
but are not limited to, statements about company’s plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical
facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of Merck’s management and are subject to significant risks
and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.
Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be
found in Merck’s 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at
the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).
