When disaster strikes, Merck provides disaster relief, especially in those regions in which the company operates.
In 2010, Merck set up 29 medical camps throughout Pakistan to assist the victims of the severe floods that struck the country. In addition, employees donated a day’s pay; the company management matched the amount. Merck’s donation totaled EUR 190,000. The money was used to improve water quality in the region.
We also donated EUR 100,000 to help the people in Chile affected by the earthquake. The funds were used to build a primary school in a rural area. A total of 240 children will be able to soon begin their schooling there.
Merck helped the victims of the Yushu earthquake in China with a donation of EUR 22,000.
Merck provided emergency aid of around EUR 875,000 to the Japanese population in the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The vast majority of this donation went to “Save the Children”, an international aid organization. Merck also initiated a global employee donation campaign. Employee donations were matched by Merck.
Merck offered support to the victims of the autumn 2011 floods in Thailand, providing tests to analyze drinking water as well as monetary donations. During the flooding, contaminants and other impurities infiltrated the untreated water system. Merck has provided more than 10,000 test kits to check water quality. Donations totaling € 110,000 are being utilized specifically for flood-related evacuation measures, emergency lodging and filtered water for the affected employees and for the general population in the most severely impacted regions in Thailand.
