Merck Annual Report 2000

    Encouraging Diversity at Merck
    The rapid expansion of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries means that Merck confronts a serious shortage of top-notch scientists. “We need to look a little harder and cast a wider net to find a lot of talent that we wouldn’t have seen in the past,” says Dr. Bakela Nare, a research fellow in Infectious Diseases at the Merck Research Laboratories in Rahway, N.J. “And we are not concentrating solely on our labs,” he adds. “I feel that company-wide, Merck wants to attract minorities.”
    That is why Merck has set up several overlapping initiatives. Dr. Nare, himself, a Zimbabwean with a Ph.D., from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, is a member of a diversity steering committee. “The committee is involved in recruitment and a number of different programs relevant to diversity,” he says. “We help to ensure that our work force is as representative of the community at large as it can be.” Management also encourages several informal internal affinity groups, including networks for both women and African-Americans. “These internal groups encourage open channels of communication with management and among group members,” says Dr. Nare. But promotions to top management are really what convince minorities that the Company values them. “Whatever minority group you belong to, if you see the same people as you in senior positions you’re encouraged,” says Dr. Nare. “We now have many women, African–Americans and other minorities in prominent positions.”
    In addition to searching out candidates who can help right now, Merck is planting seeds for the future. The Company has long helped the College Fund/UNCF develop America’s pool of world-class biomedical scientists. Now it is getting further involved in the educational process. For example, the Merck Institute for Science Education works with students and their teachers from kindergarten through 8th grade in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area to encourage interest in science and to improve the quality of science education.

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