MSD China, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J. USA, is a leading research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. At Merck & Co., Inc. diversity is one of our core values and we have placed significant attention on achieving our diversity objectives. It is our firm belief that our position on diversity continues to provide Merck with a competitive advantage in all the markets that we serve. Our core value as it relates to diversity also applies to our suppliers.
Part of our overall diversity strategy is our commitment to the inclusion of minority-owned businesses. These providers of goods and services are key to our success in the marketplace and our commitment to inclusion is a business imperative.
Our company recognized many years ago that diversity brings a clear competitive advantage; it not only makes good business sense, it helps us sustain our momentum and allows us to continue to grow as a company.
Merck is an active national member of National Minority Supplier Development Council in the U.S. and in the past 2 years we have expanded our Supplier Diversity program to include the U.K. and Canada. Most recently we became a proud member of Minority Supplier Development – China and join with them in their endeavor to create a platform for communications and business exchange between minority suppliers and corporations. We believe this is a unique opportunity to partner with an organization to increase minority business development and create wealth and economic health in underutilized business communities.
In closing, we would like to thank Minority Supplier Development – China and the National Minority Supplier Development Council for the opportunity to participate in this historical event and look forward to a successful future.
Jackie La Joie is Associate Director of Supplier Diversity and has overall leadership responsibility for the development of a world class Supplier Diversity program at Merck. She has 20 years of Supplier Diversity program experience with consistently increasing responsibilities in program development, internal and external relationship development, staff training, outreach, 2nd tier, mentor programs, goal setting and reporting, and corporate-wide program implementation.
Since joining the company in 2005, Merck's utilization of diverse suppliers has increased from 5% to more than 14%. The Merck program is fully supported by the CEO and key leadership and was created using world class best practices.
Jackie represents Merck on the Minority Supplier Development Council of PA-NJ-DE Board of Directors, the National Veteran Owned Business Association Corporate Advisory Council, the U. S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is co-founder of Diversity Alliance for Science. She received the National Supplier Diversity Manager award from US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce in 2006 and 2007, the Supplier Diversity Advocate award from the Carolinas MSDC and MSDC of PA-NJ-DE in 2006 and the YWCA Tribute to Women and Industry award in 2007.
She has a B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration from High Point University and an MBA from Wake Forest University.