At Merck, we believe in the three pillars of Global Diversity and Inclusion — Workforce, Workplace and Marketplace.

Global, Diverse Workforce

Our diversity and inclusion strategy seeks to ensure that candidate pools are broad and diverse and that all applicants are treated fairly and equally. Merck's policy is to promote equal opportunity globally. Management is responsible for enforcing this policy by making thoughtful and equitable efforts to correct potential imbalances in our global workforce.

We expect all Merck leaders to achieve key diversity and inclusion goals, and we use those goals to judge not only an individual manager's performance but also divisional and overall corporate performance. To this end, we have developed specific tools for defining, measuring and rewarding diversity performance. These include Affirmative Action Plans developed in accordance with legal requirements and diversity objectives on our overall company scorecard.

Inclusive Workplace & Leadership Behaviors

Merck actively leverages best practices to create an inclusive work environment that enhances our employees' commitment to the company, increases employee engagement and productivity, and helps to make us more competitive.

We recognize that today's highly qualified professionals are interested not only in work that challenges them intellectually and provides career advancement opportunities, but also in flexible work arrangements for the busy lifestyles they lead. With this in mind, Merck uses a comprehensive approach to make sure employees have personal and career development opportunities, build important stakeholder relationships throughout their career, learn new skills, and hear the perspectives of the senior-most people in the company to broaden their insights and knowledge.

Merck also maintains a strong emphasis on mentoring—both informal and formal—as a key to successful leadership development. In addition, Merck offers work-life integration programs to reflect the needs of today's talent and employee pool. Work-life integration programs are consistently implemented across the organization and leveraged to drive engagement and enhance our reputation as an employer of choice.

Global Marketplace

Merck recognizes that our customers are becoming increasingly diverse worldwide. For example, within the United States, projections are that by the year 2042 or sooner, more than half of the U.S. population will be diverse. Globally, 85 percent of the population and patients are diverse; 52 percent reside in Africa, Brazil, India and China; 10 percent live with a disability and at least 7-10 percent are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (Source: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs). There are also four distinct generations in today’s labor force: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials.

Given these global trends, and Merck’s goal of achieving leadership among the diverse customers of the world, Merck aligns its internal workforce and executive population to better reflect and understand the customers we serve.