Merck Marks 10 Years of SPARK™ Mobilizing Employee Volunteers to Help Inspire the Next Generation in STEM

Darmstadt, Germany, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

• Employee volunteer program brings hands-on science learning to communities worldwide
• More than 600.000 students reached and nearly 200.000 employee volunteer hours 
• Ambitious 2035 goals aim to double student reach and expand global impact

Merck, a leading science and technology company, marks the 10th anniversary of SPARK™, its global employee volunteer program that connects employees with communities through hands-on science learning and local service.

For the past decade, SPARK™ has helped bring science to life for students through interactive experiences, classroom learning, and community partnerships, powered by employees who volunteer their time, expertise, and enthusiasm.

“SPARK™ reflects who we are - scientists, engineers and problem-solvers who believe science should be accessible to everyone,” said Karen Madden, Chief Technology Officer of the Life Science business of Merck. “Over the past decade, our employees have helped students experience science in ways that make it real. As we enter our next chapter, we’re committed to broadening access and inspiring the next generation of innovators.”

Since 2016, SPARK™ has expanded its global reach with employees from 48 countries volunteering nearly 200.000 hours and directly reaching more than 600.000 students. Through nonprofit partnerships, the program has indirectly reached an additional 9.47 million students globally. Science education is a central focus of SPARK™ through the company’s Curiosity Programs, including Curiosity Labs™ and the Curiosity Cube™, a mobile science lab that travels across three continents delivering interactive science experiences. In addition to science programming, employees support community initiatives such as site tours, civic events, and the company’s annual Global Food Drive.

Each employee receives up to 16 hours of paid volunteer time annually to participate in activities meaningful to them and their communities. While SPARK™ is a global program, events are organized locally by dedicated employee-led SPARK™ teams, ensuring activities reflect the needs of each community.

As the program enters its second decade, Merck has set ambitious goals to reach two million students through direct programming and 75 million students through nonprofit partners, log 650.000 volunteer hours across employees in 66 countries, expand the Curiosity Cube™ to three additional continents, and deliver 12.000 Curiosity Labs™ lessons.

These goals underscore the company’s continued commitment to expanding access to science education and strengthening the communities where its employees live and work.

Learn more about SPARK™ and the company’s Curiosity Programs by visiting our Employee and Community Engagement website.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2025, Merck generated sales of € 21.1 billion in 65 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.

All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

Merck, SPARK™, Curiosity Labs™ and Curiosity Cube™ are trademarks of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Detailed information on trademarks is available via publicly accessible resources.

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• Merck Marks 10 Years of SPARK™

Jenny Wuestner Merck +4915114543158 jenny.wuestner@merckgroup.com