Merck Announces Expanded Partnership with Beyond Benign to Increase Global Access to Green Chemistry Education

NEWS RELEASE

• Helps grow Beyond Benign’s flagship programs to 175 institutions and 4,000 faculty members globally, reaching one million students annually
• Partnership to support Beyond Benign’s online learning platform and higher education program

Darmstadt, Germany, March 27, 2023 - Merck, a leading science and technology company, has entered an expanded partnership with global green chemistry education nonprofit Beyond Benign. With plans for a multi-year contribution to the organization, Merck is helping transform chemistry education to better prepare next generation scientists with skills to address sustainability through chemistry. It is the largest funded partnership made under the company’s Employee & Community Engagement program.

"We share Beyond Benign’s passion and commitment to making green chemistry an integral part of chemistry education,” said Meeta Gulyani, Head of Strategy, Business Development and Sustainability for the Life Science business sector of Merck. “This partnership underscores our common goal to increase global access to science and science education while reducing environmental impact.”

Together, Merck and Beyond Benign will provide expanded access to resources and support needed to apply greener practices in chemistry education. This is key to reducing environmental and human health impact while simultaneously accelerating sustainable science. Merck’s contribution will enhance capacity for Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) online platform and expand global access to resources and trainings for more than 4,000 faculty members worldwide.¹ It also advances Beyond Benign’s goal of providing 25 percent of the 22,000 graduating chemists annually in the U.S.² with green chemistry knowledge by 2025.

“In many countries, sustainability is not considered a core concept in undergraduate and graduate chemistry education,” said Dr. Amy Cannon, Co-founder and Executive Director, Beyond Benign. “Merck’s support allows us to impact higher education systems worldwide, helping educators to upskill future generations to make more sustainable choices that improve human health and the environment through the reduction or elimination of hazardous substances.”

Merck’s partnership with Beyond Benign also supports the company’s goal to achieve human progress for more than one billion people through sustainable science and technology by 2030.

Chemistry educators interested in signing Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) program can do so by visiting Beyond Benign’s GCC webpage, or by contacting Dr. Natalie O'Neil, Beyond Benign's Director of Higher Education, at Natalie_ONeil@beyondbenign.org for any questions.

References

1. The GCTLC online platform is being developed and launched in partnership with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute (ACS GCI).
2. Chemistry | Data USA. (n.d.). Datausa.io. Retrieved from: https://datausa.io/profile/cip/chemistry