Full Press Release Details
We’re proud to announce that Merit’s corporate rating from Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has reached Prime Status. This great achievement recognizes companywide Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts and shows we care how our business impacts the world around us.
What is ESG?
ESG is a collective framework that helps investors, customers, suppliers, and employees understand how a company is managing environmental, social, and governance factors. Examples of each include the following:
Environmental
Greenhouse gas emissions, management of natural resources, company climate-change risks, and waste recycling
Social
Fair wages; employee engagement; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts; philanthropy; company impact on communities
Governance
Business ethics, how a company operates, structure of leadership, anti-corruption practices, board composition
What Is ISS?
ISS is the leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions. It utilizes third-party rating systems to understand how company ESG efforts perform compared to industry peers.
What Does Prime Status mean?
The rating ISS gives is similar to academic grading. A corporate rating at a C+ or higher is considered Prime Status. It shows that a company takes its responsibility of being a good corporate citizen seriously. Prime status also attracts new investors and employees who are looking to be involved with companies that show responsibility and dedication by achieving this status.
ESG Areas Where Merit Excelled
Our Prime Status accomplishment is largely due to excellent progress made in ISO 14001 (environmental management system), 45001 (managing occupational health and safety risks), and 50001 (improved energy use) certifications at Merit manufacturing sites.
These systems help our company care for the environment by using resources responsibly. They also enable us to look out for our employees better by having standards that put their health and well-being first.
Every day, our teams work to implement these ISO systems, making Merit facilities more sustainable and safer places to work.
Other ESG areas where we excelled: • Social impacts of products and services • Production processes • Promotion of access to health in underserved regions • Corporate governance and business ethics
We’re proud to stand alongside other noteworthy healthcare companies that have reached Prime Status and serve as a positive example to follow.
To learn more about how we strive to make a difference, read our latest sustainability report .