North American Businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Certified as 2017 Top Employer

Boston, Massachusetts and Mississauga, ON, February 8, 2017 — Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company which operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials in the United States and Canada, today announced that its North American businesses have been certified by the Top Employers Institute for exceptional employee offerings.

In addition to North America, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has also achieved Top Employer status in the following regions where it operates businesses: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

“Throughout our nearly 350 year history, attracting the best and brightest talent in key regions such as North America, has been a fundamental part of what we do as a successful global company. Whether one is seeking a career in the research lab, or on the manufacturing floor, the opportunities are boundless at MilliporeSigma, EMD Serono and EMD Performance Materials in this region and this recognition only reaffirms the potential for people joining our organization,” said Udit Batra, Member of the Executive Board, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and CEO, MilliporeSigma.

“We are honored to receive this official certification as all of the businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany are committed to empowering our talented employees to do their best work,” said Gary Zieziula, President and Managing Director of EMD Serono and the spokesperson for the North American businesses for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “We are focused on continuing to foster a collaborative and creative environment so our employees can grow professionally and be inspired to further our mission of creating technologies that enhance the lives of people around the world.”

The annual, international research undertaken by the Top Employers Institute recognizes leading employers around the world: those that provide excellent employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organization, and which strive to continuously optimize employment practices.

This recognition follows the Massachusetts-based businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany—MilliporeSigma and EMD Serono —which were named to The Boston Globe's annual "Top Places to Work" list in 2016. In addition, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, ranked number 11 among the top 20 employers in the global biopharmaceutical industry by Science magazine, a leading peer-reviewed international scientific publication, also in 2016.

To achieve the Top Employers certification companies undergo a stringent research process in which they are assessed on criteria including talent strategy, workforce planning, leadership development and culture.

“Optimal employee conditions ensure that people can develop themselves personally and professionally,” said David Plink, CEO of the Top Employers Institute. “Our comprehensive research concluded that Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany provides an outstanding employment environment, and offers a wide range of creative initiatives, from secondary benefits and working conditions, to performance-management programs that are well thought out and truly aligned with the culture of their company.”

To learn more about the Top Employers Institute and the Top Employers Certification, visit: www.top-employers.com.

About EMD Serono
EMD Serono is the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the U.S. and Canada - a leading science and technology company - focused exclusively on specialty care. For more than 40 years, the business has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and industry-leading patient support and access programs. EMD Serono has deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology as R&D focus areas. Today, the business has 1,200 employees in the U.S. with commercial, clinical and research operations based in the company’s home state of Massachusetts and 100 employees in Canada with its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. www.emdserono.com (www.emdserono.ca)

About MilliporeSigma
The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 19,000 employees and 65 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry. MilliporeSigma is a leading supplier in the life science industry. With products for protein research and cell biology as well as the manufacture of chemical‐based and biopharmaceutical drugs, MilliporeSigma covers the full bioprocessing value chain. Its aim is to solve the toughest problems in the industry by collaborating with the global scientific community.

About EMD Performance Materials
EMD Performance Materials is the North America high-tech materials business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, comprising a portfolio of applications in fields such as consumer electronics, semiconductors, lighting, coatings, printing technology, plastics, and cosmetics.

Key products include display materials, LED materials for lighting as well as OLED materials for lighting and displays, functional materials for solar panels and energy solutions, effect pigments as well as active ingredients and fillers for cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical products, effect pigments and functional materials for coatings, printing and plastics and high-purity specialty chemical materials for the electronics and semiconductor industry. Today, the business has about 500 employees around the country with main operations in Philadelphia (PA). For more information, please visit www.emd-pm.com.

About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of €15 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. The company holds the global rights to the “Merck” name and brand except in the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of effect pigments for the coatings, plastics, printing, cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries. Effect pigments underscore the emotional impact of color and are an important design element when creating surfaces with a special appearance or quality. Application possibilities range from cars to packaging and high-tech products up to building façades. In addition to decorative effect pigments, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, offers pigments that also have functional applications such as heat-reflecting or anti-counterfeiting pigments.