Merck issued its first environmental report in 1993; the second followed in 1995, the year of the public listing. Environmental protection remains a core subject of the reports to this day. The latest report, for example, examines the corporate objective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020. After only the third edition in 1997, however, it had already become clear that ecology could only be one aspect of a holistic approach to the responsible conduct of business. The public showed a growing interest in the social conditions at the company and along the value-supply chain, in research and production standards, and in compliance and product safety. The initial response was the "Responsible Care" report in 2000, and since 2003 Merck has provided a holistic summary every two years in the form of the Corporate Responsibility Report. 

From the funding of schistosomiasis treatment for African children in collaboration with WHO to continuing education for its employees to the safety of nanotechnology: the report spans a wide range of topics. “In the end,” says Schaad, “it’s about the way the company does business.” This is based in part on the Merck Values, which were identified by all Merck employees in a series of workshops as important for their daily work. 

The idea of corporate responsibility is firmly anchored in Merck’s business philosophy, and at all levels of the organization. Since 2007 the Executive Board has been directly responsible for these issues, ensuring the execution and implementation of corporate responsibility in everyday practice. How the situation has changed compared to the reporting period for the current report will be revealed by the next CR report in 2011, which once again will be an up-to-date summary with a look into the future based on the foundation of more than 300 years of corporate responsibility.