Sustainability

For us, scientific progress and responsible entrepreneurship go hand in hand, enabling us to create a sustainable future for everyone.

Mockup Sustainability Tablet Emd

Our
Sustainability Statement

We transparently inform our stakeholders about our activities and successes, along with the challenges we face. Every year, we publish a comprehensive report on our progress, goals and efforts worldwide.

Go to Report
Belén Garijo

Sustainability is a vital element of our business and a responsibility we want to fulfill every day. Through our innovation power, we strive to create long-term value for society: By fostering human progress for more than one billion people, achieving climate neutrality by 2040 and reducing our resource consumption.

Belén Garijo

Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Three goals, seven focus areas
Three goals, seven focus areas

  

What sustainability means to us

    

  • Our strategy

    Our ambition is to leverage science and technology to achieve progress for mankind. Sustainable entrepreneurship and profitable growth must go hand in hand to achieve this.
    Read more

  • Measuring sustainability

    We use methods and tools to evaluate our products and initiatives with regard to sustainability aspects. 

    Read more

  • Products and innovation

    Science and technology are at the heart of everything we do, driving innovations that enable us to contribute to a sustainable future.
    Read more

  • Business ethics

    Our products and technologies are aimed at achieving human progress. When developing them, we follow clear regulations concerning quality and product safety.
    Read more

  • Health Equity

    More than half the world’s population still does not have adequate access to health. That’s why we have made it a high priority to address this global health challenge.
    Read more

  • Environment

    We take a holistic approach to environmental stewardship. We are reducing our emissions and energy consumption, and we manage natural resources responsibly.
    Read more

  • Employees

    Our success derives from our employees – from their pioneering spirit, curiosity and diversity. We support them in their development and promote an inclusive company culture.
    Read more

  • Community engagement

    We take on responsibility and solve tomorrow's challenges - not only with our products and technologies, but also through our social and community engagement.
    Read more

  • Reports and Guidelines

    Our sustainability efforts are reflected in our reporting. We provide our sustainability reports as well as general guidelines, regulations and policies for you to download.
    Read more

Rating and Indices

We are not the only ones evaluating our non-financial performance. It is also assessed externally by investors and customers who use this information.

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FTSE4Good-Index
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FTSE4Good-Index

Since 2008, our company has been included in FTSE4Good, a leading sustainability index assessing ESG practices. In 2025, we again reached a ESG score of 4.4/5. The percentile rank is 94 within Health Care.​

STOXX ESG Leaders STOXX ESG Leaders
STOXX® Global ESG Leaders Index
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STOXX® Global ESG Leaders Index

In 2024, our company's share was again included in STOXX Global ESG Leaders Index, a sustainability index based on key environmental, social and governance criteria.

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Ethibel Sustainability Index
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Ethibel Sustainability Index

Our company has been reconfirmed as a constituent of the Ethibel Sustainability Index (ESI) Excellence Europe since May 2020, based on VigeoEiris.

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Access to Medicine Index
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Access to Medicine Index

In the 2024 Access to Medicine Index, our company ranked seventh place. We were recognized for our performance in R&D, where we ranked fourth. 

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CDP
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CDP

CDP Climate: In 2025, we scored an A- (2024: A-).
CDP Water: In 2025, we received a A- (2024: B).

IMG Ecovadis 2025 4 3 IMG Ecovadis 2025 4 3
EcoVadis-Rating
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EcoVadis-Rating

Our company received platin status in 2025, stating we are among the top 1%. The improvement to 83/100 score in 2025 is mostly triggered by our Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement activities. EcoVadis annually examines ~130,000 suppliers from more than 180 countries.

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ESG company rating
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ESG company rating

In 2025, our company again achieved prime status by ISS ESG, the sustainable investment arm of ISS STOXX. Our rating score remains stable (B score), with many data points now aligning with the new CSRD provisions. 

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Sustainalytics
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Sustainalytics

In 2026, our company achieved an ESG risk rating of 15.3, with Sustainalytics assessing us as low risk. Our ESG Risk Exposure is classified as low. Our performance has been recognized as top.

Curious? Get to know our “sustainables”!

  • Umbrella Project

    Our Director of Sustainability, Till Langner, and Senior Sustainability Program Manager, Kristin Balk, talked about the Sustainability program “Umbrella Project” …

    Find out more

  • Green Solvents

    Our US Technical Service Manager David Rennie talks about Green Solvents and how they can boost the sustainability of chip production…

    Find out more

  • Supplier Decarbonization

    Our Head of Sustainable Procurement, Verena Buback, talks about the Supplier Decarbonisation program

    Find out more

Sustainability News

View All News

  1. Press Releases

    Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Signs Long-term Renewable Energy Contract for ...

    Power purchase agreement supports Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany' 2030 sustainability targets to source 80% renewable electricity and reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%

    2025/11/04

  2. Press Releases

    Global Hackathon by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Boltz Sets New Benchmark ...

    Our global hackathon on protein folding has set a new benchmark for open-source AI-driven innovation in drug development.

    2025/10/27

  3. Press Releases

    Kai Beckmann to Succeed Belén Garijo as Chair of the Executive Board and CEO ...

    The Board of Partners of E. Merck KG, Darmstadt, Germany, appointed Kai Beckmann as future Chair of the Executive Board and CEO.

    2025/09/25

Further news

  • BUILDING BELONGING

    Our first DE&I Report opens a window into our DE&I efforts: our commitment, aspirations, culture, and initiatives, as well as partnerships we nurture beyond our business.

    Learn more

  • Sustainable business

    In episode 17 of our podcast series Future Talk, our experts discuss the benefits of sustainable business practice. Listen in!
    Explore more

Get in touch!

Any remarks or additional questions? Contact us and send an email at corporate-sustainability@emdgroup.com. 

1) The use by Merck KGaA of any MSCI ESG Research LLC or its affiliates (“MSCI”) data, and the use of MSCI logos, trademarks, service marks or index names herein, do not constitute a sponsorship, endorsement, recommendation, or promotion of Merck KGaA by MSCI. MSCI services and data are the property of MSCI or its information providers, and are provided “as-is” and without warranty. MSCI names and logos are trademarks or service marks of MSCI.

2) Copyright ©2020 Sustainalytics. All rights reserved. This section contains information developed by Sustainalytics (www.sustainalytics.com). Such information and data are proprietary of Sustainalytics and/or its third party suppliers (Third Party Data) and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement of any product or project, nor an investment advice and are not warranted to be complete, timely, accurate or suitable for a particular purpose. Their use is subject to conditions available at https://www.sustainalytics.com/legal-disclaimers.

1) The use by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany of any MSCI ESG Research LLC or its affiliates (“MSCI”) data, and the use of MSCI logos, trademarks, service marks or index names herein, do not constitute a sponsorship, endorsement, recommendation, or promotion of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany by MSCI. MSCI services and data are the property of MSCI or its information providers, and are provided “as-is” and without warranty. MSCI names and logos are trademarks or service marks of MSCI.

2) Copyright ©2020 Sustainalytics. All rights reserved. This section contains information developed by Sustainalytics (www.sustainalytics.com). Such information and data are proprietary of Sustainalytics and/or its third party suppliers (Third Party Data) and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement of any product or project, nor an investment advice and are not warranted to be complete, timely, accurate or suitable for a particular purpose. Their use is subject to conditions available at https://www.sustainalytics.com/legal-disclaimers.