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Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery
Commitment, principles & goals
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, does not tolerate bribery, extortion or corruption. We are expressly committed to fighting bribery, extortion and corruption across the globe. The primary policy document for this topic is the Code of Conduct mentioned under Principles 1 and 2.
Implementation
The Code of Conduct has been applied within Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, through the compliance management and the internal compliance training described under Principles 1 and 2.
Adopted at the end of 2012, our Global Business Partner Risk Management Policy now constitutes a fundamental component of the selection process for business partners, along with their overall assessment. Our Global Business Partner Risk Management aims to ensure that business partners are selected diligently in order to minimize the danger of adverse legal, reputational, and financial effects. This process is especially concerned with fighting corrupt practices
In addition, several internal guidelines were adopted at the end of 2013, which regulate how Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, employees in Pharmaceuticals interact with medical professionals and other representatives of the healthcare sector. These guidelines focus particularly on ensuring that all payments are of legitimate cause and are never made in exchange for prescribing our products. The guidelines are supported by a modern electronic compliance management system in which interactions with medical professionals and other representatives of the healthcare sector are proposed, approved, documented, published and monitored.
Our suppliers are subject to the supplier management process that is likewise mentioned there.
Gauging the results
In order to monitor and assess adherence to the Code of Conduct both within Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, as well as at our suppliers, we conduct the audits mentioned under Principles 1 and 2; we have furthermore implemented a speak-up line for employees to report compliance violations. In 2013, 30 internal audits were carried out specifically to check for corruption.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany – further information:
This document only contains our key 2013 figures (unless otherwise indicated) that are relevant for the progress report on the UN Global Compact. Data from previous years can be found in our Corporate Responsibility Report 2012 and on our website .
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors. With its four divisions Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Performance Materials, and Life Science Tools, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated total revenues of € 11.1 billion in 2013. Around 38,000 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to further the success of customers and to help meet global challenges. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70% interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, – the original – holds the global rights to the name and the trademark MERCK. The exception is North America, where we are represented by the EMD brand, which stands for “Emanuel Merck Darmstadt”.
