80% renewable purchased electricity target by 2030 via VPPAs and EACs Merck targets 80% renewable electricity coverage by 2030; achieved 52.2% in 2024. Procurement mix uses bundled instruments (retail green, GOs, GECs - 19.2%) and unbundled instruments (US-RECs, VPPAs at 19.9%, I-RECs, TIGRs - 26.3%). Total contractual instrument coverage 45.5% of energy procured. Self-generated renewables include on-site photovoltaic projects (e.g., Jakarta site). Key Scope 2 lever is procurement via Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs).
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Scope 3 business travel emissions tripled from 2020 baseline Scope 3 category 6 business travel rose from 32,157 tCO2e (2020) to 106,060 tCO2e (2024), reflecting post-pandemic travel recovery vs the unusually low 2020 baseline.
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All vivaria AAALAC accredited In 2024, all animal facilities accredited by Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).
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No carbon removals or CO2 certificates used in inventory As part of its own business activities, Merck does not currently carry out any activities to remove or reduce greenhouse gases that are financed via CO2eq certificates. Reductions are achieved entirely through abatement and renewable procurement rather than offsets/removals.
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Dependent: Use-of-sold-products gas substitution (Electronics) Electronics specialty gases (etching, cleaning, deposition, dopant) represent dominant Scope 3 Cat 11 lever (1,021,008 tCO2e). Merck develops optimized specialty gases with lower global warming potential for semiconductor customers, plus electricity-consuming product control devices abatement. €6M CapEx allocated 2024 to optimized specialty gases.
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Adopted ESRS framework (CSRD) First-time adoption of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) in full to meet CSRD requirements. Previous reporting was per GRI/HGB. Represents break in consistency; no adjusted comparative figures provided.
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Circularity rate target of 70% by 2030 Launched circularity rate as new KPI, aiming for 70% circularity rate by 2030 (waste reuse/recycling/avoidance over total waste). 2022 baseline 64.1%, 2024 achieved 69.2%.
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Acquisition of HUB Organoids Holding B.V. Acquisition of HUB Organoids Holding B.V., Netherlands, completed on December 23, 2024. Employees not yet included in headcount reporting.
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Scope 1 reduction target achieved early Scope 1 emissions reduced 53% vs 2020 baseline by 2024, exceeding the 50% by 2030 target ahead of schedule, primarily through NF3 process emissions abatement.
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Primary: Process emissions reduction (NF3, N2O, refrigerants) Largest Scope 1 lever: NF3 abatement projects at Ulsan (South Korea) and Hometown (USA) Specialty Gases sites reduced 385,743 tCO2e in 2024. Life Science Freon/process gas reduction cut 12,655 tCO2e vs 2023. Scope 1 emissions reduced 53% vs 2020 baseline — target achieved ahead of schedule. Two EU-ETS facilities (Darmstadt gas turbine, Gernsheim gas engine) identified as locked-in emissions risks.
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