Every Merck employee and contingent worker is responsible for understanding and appropriately applying the global purchasing policy, which includes supplier diversity objectives.

Merck has tripled its purchases from minority-, women-, and veteran-owned suppliers in the United States and Puerto Rico over the past five years. In 2005, Merck spent 5 percent of our total U.S. and Puerto Rico procurement dollars with minority-, women-, and veteran-owned firms. We achieved 15 percent in 2010 and have plans for continued growth.