Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany's corporate culture is characterized by responsible conduct – whether with respect to our products, our employees, the environment, or society. Responsibility has been an integral part of our approach for nearly 350 years and is one of our six Values.

These Values  - courage, achievement, responsibility, respect, integrity, and transparency - form the foundation that underlies our actions. They guide us in our daily work, defining how we interact with our customers and business partners. We view open, honest communication internally and externally as an essential trust-building element. As a global company, we strive to create added value for consumers, our market partners and the community while also helping them lead better lives.

Our Group Mission Statement, our Values and the external initiatives we support give rise to requirements for responsible corporate governance that are integrated with both our Corporate Responsibility strategy as well as our Group-wide regulations. These guidelines include our Human Rights Charter  and our Code of Conduct , as well as other specific corporate principles, policies and standards. This framework guides our employees in applying these requirements in the course of their day-to-day work, thus helping them live the company's commitment to corporate responsibility.

We support the following initiatives on responsible corporate governance:

• Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact  since 2005 and is committed to complying with the compact’s principles regarding human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption. Our annual progress report illustrates how we are incorporating these ten principles into our business processes.
• In 2006, we signed the Responsible Care^® Global Charter  adopted by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA). Within the scope of this voluntary initiative as well as its offshoot, the German Responsible Care^® Program guidelines, we have committed ourselves to defining standards for product responsibility, environmental protection, health, plant safety, and security that go beyond mere legal obligations. The company was among the first companies to sign the revised version of the Responsible Care^® Global Charter in 2014.
• Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany signed the Code of Responsible Conduct for Business  in 2010. This code is the result of an initiative of German companies that aims for member companies to firmly establish measurable standards with respect to fair competition, social partnership, merit, and sustainability.
• In 2014, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany joined the Together for Sustainability  network, which is dedicated to improving the supply chain with respect to environmental, compliance and social standards.
• In addition to this network, we are also a member of the Chemie³ initiative, a collaboration between the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), the German Employers’ Federation of the Chemical Industry (BAVC) and the German Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union (IG BCE). The partners of this unique alliance aim to make sustainability a core part of the chemical industry's guiding principles and to jointly drive the sector's position within the German economy as a key contributor to sustainable development. The "Guidelines on sustainability in the German chemical industry" provide a framework consisting of 12 spheres of activity to promote sustainable company development, protect people and the environment, and ensure good, fair working conditions.