The protection of health, safety and the environment (HSE) is one of our highest priorities. By environment, we mean people (their quality of life and their property) as well as nature (fauna, flora, natural resources and ecological balance). At all times, we conduct our business in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of the public, our employees, and the environment.

Our HSE group establishes the company’s health, safety and environmental policies and goals; provides the scientific and educational back-up needed to fulfill them; and monitors Merial’s performance in these areas.

Our approach to HSE is founded on eight principles:

Conservation of resources – We apply energy-saving and resource-sparing practices to all our operations.

Protecting the environment – We minimize the release into the environment of chemicals and wastes that could affect health or create an environmental problem.

Working practices – We use the best available technologies to contain potentially harmful micro-organisms and chemical compounds under appropriate conditions.

Empowerment of employees – We educate, train and equip our employees to work in the best safety conditions and take responsibility for implementing appropriate rules and procedures, whenever and wherever appropriate.

Customer commitment – We provide our customers with appropriate information to allow them to handle our products in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

Working with public authorities – We provide public officials and the community with the information they need to understand the potential environmental impact of our operations and provide technical and material assistance on environmental matters to public agencies, routinely and in emergencies.

Open communication – We respond transparently to any expression of public concern about our operations.

Commitment to law - We comply with the spirit and letter of all laws and regulations intended to protect health and the environment, respecting local cultures and best practices. Compliance with the law is a minimum requirement; however, if our internal standards are more demanding than the legal ones, they will apply.