Working Mother Magazine recently named Merck & Co., Inc. to its "100 Best Companies for Working Mother's" list. Merck has made the list every year since the magazine inaugurated it in 1986. Since then, however, the magazine has raised its standard for selection, grading companies in six areas: percentage of women in the work force, child-care support, flexibility, leave for new parents, work/life balance and advancement for women.

The magazine outlined the services Merck offers to provide employees with flexibility to help them better manage their professional and personal lives: childcare centers at major sites, gyms, health clinics, take home meals and flexible work policies. In addition to these services, Working Mother scored Merck well in the number of women it employs - 49 percent of the work force - and advancing women. Women make up 26 percent of Merck executives and 38 percent of middle managers.

In the Philippines, Merck operates through its branch Merck Sharp & Dohme Philippines (MSD) and has been helping to improve the health and well-being of Filipinos by providing Filipino patients with breakthrough medicines.