Right of way climate protection: 65 employees of Merck Malaysia has cycled for environment protection

3,470 kilometers on a bicycle for the environment – Merck Thailand employee Somporn Munintarawong is cycling through Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia to promote the company’s climate goals and to raise awareness for environment protection. Today, 3rd of May, 65 Merck employees joined Somporn on his way through Petaling Jaya. The group cycled 15 kilometer from the Merck Malaysia office in Sunway to the company’s warehouse in Glenmarie, Shah Alam and back. 

That was an unusual surprise for a lot of car drivers this morning: Escorted by police motorcycle outriders, 65 people in green t-shirts cycled on the highways through Petaling Jaya in blistering heat. The people were all employees of the chemical and pharmaceutical company Merck, and they were on a mission to promote environment protection and raise awareness of climate change.  The 15 kilometers in Kuala Lumpur were one stage of the big project “World on Wheels”, a borderless environment initiative involving four Merck companies in Southeast Asia.

For Merck Malaysia this is the first project of its kind but also the kick-start for more upcoming corporate responsibility projects the company is already initiating. Taking responsibility for the environment and following the German parent company’s global climate goal – to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, based on the 2006 level – is one pillar. Additionally, Merck Malaysia is aiming to also support everyday people in the community, with special attention given to children and education. “World and Wheels” was therefore also used to raise internal funds. The Managing Director of Merck Malaysia, Mr Justus Krause-Harder donated from company funds RM 200 per participant, making it RM 13,000 in only one morning.