The Embracing Carers Story
Embracing Carers® is a global initiative founded in 2017 by Merck in collaboration with leading organisations around the world, designed to increase awareness, discussion and action about the often-overlooked needs of carers. Our commitment stems from the understanding that many family carers shoulder immense responsibility while often remaining unseen and unsupported. Embracing Carers® exists to help change this—ensuring carers feel seen, valued and supported every step of the way.
Our Mission
Understanding the challenges that carers face around the world is essential to driving greater recognition, support, and action. Embracing Carers® advances this mission by:
Our Story
Embracing Carers® is born
The initiative is started by the Merck with the mission to provide resources, support, and visibility to informal carers.
Carers White Paper & Action Plan is published
Co-created with experts from carer organisations around the world, the Embracing Carers® white paper identifies challenges for carers with clear calls to action to address their needs.
Read more →‘Time Counts’ Campaign kicks off
Merck launches ‘Time Counts,’ a social media-led video series asking friends and families of carers to collectively give one million minutes of their time to better support carers around the world.
Read more →Global Carer Well-Being Index is launched during COVID-19 pandemic
To uncover the challenges faced by carers around the world, Embracing Carers® conducted a multi-national survey to determine the unmet needs of carers and the impact that caring for others has on their own health and well-being. The study was one of the first of its kind.
Read more →The Global State of Care Report is published
Made possible by Embracing Carers®, the International Alliance of Carer Organisations (IACO) published a comprehensive worldwide overview of carer conditions. The report was developed to facilitate policy discussions around the world by providing a global assessment of unpaid carer needs, sharing of best practices and identifying the core elements of a global carer action plan.
Read more →Collaboration with GIA Longevity
Merck and the United Nations-guided Global Initiative on Ageing and Longevity (GIA Longevity) join forces to provide free training courses on critical skills for family carers to assist them in their daily caregiving activities. The collaboration is ongoing, adding new trainings annually.
Read more →Embracing Carers® wins ‘At the Heart of Pharma’ award
Embracing Carers® wins the prestigious ‘At the Heart of Pharma’ award by CPHI, a recognition of the transformative value of patient and carer-led initiatives in healthcare.
Read more →Merck announces Moments that Matter Leave
Merck introduces a Caregiver Leave Benefit as an additional family-friendly offering for its employees. The new global benefit includes a minimum of ten days of financially protected leave. This initiative builds on the previous rollout of the global Fertility Benefit at Merck and advances the company’s journey to provide an inclusive suite of benefits that support employees’ holistic well-being.
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