Merck & Co
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OVERALL |
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Owned |
USA |
Rating |
N/A |
Pharmaceuticals
Sold its Consumer Healthcare business to Bayer AG for $14.2 billion in 2014.
| Merck & Co Inc | USA | website | ||||
Company Assessment
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America's Most Responsible Companies 2022 by Newsweek and Statista recognises the Top 500 most responsible companies in the United States. Companies were evaluated in three areas: environmental (waste, energy use, etc.), social (leadership diversity, employees and philanthropy) and governance (transparency and economic performance). This company received a total score of 89.3/100, ranking 4th in the Health Care & Life Sciences sector, and 9th overall.
Source: Newsweek (2021)
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2023 rankings JUST Capital asked a representative sample of 3,002 Americans to compare 20 different business Issues on a head-to-head basis, producing a reliable hierarchy of Issues ranked in order of priority. Issues are organised under the headings Workers, Customers, Communities, the Environment, or Shareholders & Governance. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 26th of 951 companies, and 1st of 41 Pharmaceuticals & Biotech companies.
Source: JUST Capital (2023)
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of B.
Source: CDP (2022)
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign (2021)
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B-.
Source: CDP (2022) |
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
The Green Supply Chain Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI) evaluates consumer-facing companies that have a sizeable supply chain in China. The evaluation uses government supervision data and public information to assess the environmental management of their supply chains in China. This company received a score of 14.02/100 (retrieved 24 Nov 2023).
Source: IPE (2023)
In 2004 the FDA found that Fosamax, a bisphosphanate made by this company, caused osteoporosis of the jaw (ONJ). In 2008 the FDA issued a warning that bisphosphanates caused severe bone, joint and muscle pain. In 2010, the FDA required a warning label on Fosamax. This company faces thousands of lawsuits from patients suffering bone weakening and breaking after using Fosamax. In 2010 a woman who developed ONJ was awarded US$8m which was later reduced to US$1.5m. In December 2013 Merck said it was prepared to pay US$27.7m to settle 1140 lawsuits pending in federal and state courts and settlement was reached in January 2014.
Source: Drug Dangers (2014)
The 2021 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Benchmark ranks 17 large pharmaceutical companies on their efforts keep medicines and vaccines available, despite the rise of drug resistance. This company received the lowest score of the large research-based companies, with a score of 46%.
Source: Access to Medicine Foundation (2021)
This company received the third lowest score in the Access to Medicine Index 2022, a ranking of the world's 20 largest pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to increase access to medicine in developing countries. The ranking is based on their scores in each Technical Area, with Product Delivery weighted most highly, followed by R&D and Governance of Access.
Source: Access to Medicine Foundation (2022)
This company sources a hormone called PMSG (Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin) from horse blood farms in Argentina and Uruguay. The blood is taken from pregnant mares because it contains a precious hormone used to produce a veterinary drug needed by the pork industry to promote unnatural rates of reproduction among pigs. Because mares produce the valuable hormone only during early pregnancy, they are forced into repeated pregnancies and abortions.
Source: The Dodo (2015)
A 2018 report by Oxfam shows that four pharmaceutical corporations, including this one, systematically hide their profits in overseas tax havens. This activity could deprive developing countries of more than $100 million every year. These corporations deploy massive influencing operations to rig the rules in their favor and give their damaging behavior a veneer of legitimacy. Tax dodging, high prices, and influence peddling by drug companies exacerbate the yawning gap between rich and poor, between men and women, and between advanced economies and developing ones.
Source: Oxfam (2018) |
In 2011 Merck agreed to pay $950 million and a unit of the company pleaded guilty to a criminal misdemeanor charge to resolve a U.S. probe of its illegal marketing of the painkiller Vioxx. Merck has already paid $4.85 billion to settle thousands of patient lawsuits claiming injuries, and another $1.9 billion for legal costs. Vioxx has been found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Source: news article (2011)
This company is listed on the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database as having 17 instances of misconduct since 1995 amounting to US$6,843 million in penalties.
Source: Project on Government Oversight (POGO) (2014)
In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$98,943. The CEO was paid 188 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
Source: AFL-CIO (2023)
As You Sow's 2021 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Kenneth C. Frazier came in at number 80 on the list, having been paid US$27,648,475 in 2020. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
Source: As You Sow (2021)
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)
This company was named in the top 10 of Seramount's 100 Best Companies 2022 for being a mum-friendly employer. Listed companies provide inclusive benefits for families, including paid gender-neutral parental leave, phase-back programs, bereavement leave after miscarriage, reimbursement for fertility expenses, and increased mental health benefits for employees.
Source: Seramount (2022)
This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.
Source: RMI (2019)
This company is a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative, a Do-Tank which aims to eradicate child labour and unacceptable working conditions in the Indian mica supply chain by joining forces across industries.
Source: Responsible Mica Initiative (2023)
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of C-.
Source: CDP (2022)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2017)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2017)
As You Sow's 2019 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 215 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was 53.5% (Adequate).
Source: As You Sow (2019)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 43/100 in the Pharmaceuticals category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022)
The 2022 Nature Benchmark ranks 400 companies across eight industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. The companies were assessed using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company ranked #95/400, with a total score of 22.7/100.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2022)
The Corporate Research Project's Corporate Rap Sheets are dossiers summarising the most significant crimes, violations and other questionable activities of the world's largest and most controversial companies. Follow link to see this company's Corporate Rap Sheet.
Source: Corporate Research Project (2018) |
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Company Details
| Type | Public company |
Contact Details
| Address | USA |
| Website | merck.com |