Merck Sharpe and Dohme signs UN water sustainability agreement

Merck Sharpe and Dohme is to improve the sustainability of its water usage policies after signing on to a new scheme spearheaded by the UN.

At the behest of the UN Global Compact, the pharmaceutical company has committed to the organisation's CEO Water Mandate, which aims to assist firms in developing and implementing environmentally-friendly water sustainability practices.

This will underpin the company's ongoing efforts to minimise water wastage, which involve a reduction of its 2009 water usage levels by 15 percent by 2015 and 25 percent by 2020.

It is also committed to reporting publicly on its water use policies, advocating for improvements across the industry and engaging with staff to implement similar policies in their homes.

Merck's president and chief executive officer Kenneth Frazier said: "Access to clean water is critical to the world's health and our mission."

Last month, the company launched a new public promotion campaign called Hope Against Hepatitis C, which aims to raise awareness of the disease among patient populations.