Modern slavery footprint

Merz GmbH & Co. KGaA and its UK subsidiary (Merz Pharma UK Ltd) is an equal rights employer and has an explicit globally adopted Code of Conduct which contains, amongst other things, our approach to employees’ human rights, thereby addressing our approach to seeking to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking forms no part of our business. The Code specifically cites:

Merz recognises its role in using influence to promote and protect human rights and to ensure that our business operations do not contribute directly or indirectly to human rights abuses. Accordingly, whether or not a third party demonstrates respect for the Merz Code of Conduct will have a direct influence on whether Merz continues their commercial relationship. To support this decision making Merz is actively rolling out a comprehensive third party compliance program based on the Code of Conduct.

In brief, we adhere to the following expectations based on internationally accepted ethical standards:

• Wages are fair and competitive and based on performance and ethical conduct.
• Employees are free from unfair or unethical working conditions, including all forms of forced and compulsory labour, or child labour.
• Labour standards comply with the laws of the jurisdictions in which we operate.
• All of our operations provide a safe and healthy work environment. Workers are not expected to endure unsafe working conditions.
• We respect our employees’ right to join or not to join trade unions, and generally to join together for the purpose of promoting common goals.
• We do not discriminate in employment, contracting, wages, promotion, working conditions or in any other opportunity based on ethnic origin, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or conviction, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic, subject to compliance with applicable law.

Merz is a family-owned company and places people at the heart of its business operations. Slavery and trafficking have no place in how we operate and grow.