Year: 2022-23

Company: Merck

Liaison(s): Anando Chowdhury, Jerry Docchio, David Komjati, Keith Lawlor

Merck is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and bioscience companies with global operations throughout the world. As such a vast corporation, Merck recognizes their responsibility to conduct business in an ethical manner, and has set several Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goals which guide their operation. Our project supports Merck’s ESG endeavors by supporting two specific goals: Improved access to medicines and improved shipping analytics and sustainability. First, we are supporting Merck’s efforts to promote global healthcare equity by improving global access to their medications in low-income countries and lower-middle income countries. We have pursued this end by conducting market research analysis in developing markets, as well as gathering competitive intelligence on best practices employed by Merck’s competitors. Using this information, we’ve synthesized actionable recommendations which may guide Merck’s future access strategies. Second, we are supporting Merck’s efforts to improve their shipping analytics in order to promote a more efficient and sustainable supply chain. To accomplish this, we have constructed a centralized real-time data repository which incorporates numerous separate data streams from all corners of Merck’s supply chain. Linking this breadth of information into a single analytical tool will allow Merck to leverage the data to arrive at solid insights into their supply chain, thus empowering them to devise strategies to improve shipping efficiency and sustainability.