Philanthropy

Taking responsibility in the countries where we are present and giving back to society has always been an important part of our Company culture.

That’s why we support social and cultural initiatives happening around our sites and subsidiaries. We demonstrate our territorial solidarity to local communities, being actively involved in local initiatives, especially those targeting the most vulnerable groups and young people, and encouraging our team members to volunteer, in partnership with local associations and NGOs. 

In 2021, we distributed €5.9 million to our sponsorship activities.

In December 2020, we created the bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education, an independent legal structure endowed with 20 million euros by bioMérieux. The mission of the Fund is to promote equal opportunities in the countries where we operate, with the ambition of reducing inequalities through and within education so that everyone can find their place in the world.

As part of the Institut Mérieux group, we dedicate a significant portion of our charitable giving to support the actions of the Mérieux Foundation and the Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux. These two independent family foundations share the same public health mission: combat infectious diseases, increase access to diagnostics and sustainably improve the health and quality of life of vulnerable populations.

• The Mérieux Foundation is a family foundation with public-interest status  founded in France in 1967 by Dr. Charles Mérieux. It leads projects in low-and middle-Income countries to increase access to diagnostics for vulnerable populations, enhance local applied research capabilities, encourage knowledge-sharing and improve conditions for mothers and children.
• Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux, placed under the aegis of Institut de France, has  been supporting projects of the Mérieux Foundation as well as other local associations working in underprivileged countries to help mothers and their children.

In 2021, bioMérieux granted nearly €2.7 million to these family foundations, to support their work. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant health, economic and social challenges and vulnerable populations are suffering from the impact of this unprecedented crisis in a particularly acute way. In this context, in 2020, we decided to reduce our 2019 dividend by half; the difference, representing about €22 million, was allocated as Exceptional Donations to support solidarity initiatives in the countries where we operate. 

• €12 million were donated to the Fondation Mérieux to combat infectious diseases, including the COVID-19 virus, affecting developing countries; 
• €2 million were allocated to “L’Entreprise des Possibles” to help the homeless and most vulnerable in Lyon (France) and its surroundings;
• €8 million were awarded to 60 projects selected worldwide by bioMérieux’s employees. These projects address the following issues: school drop-out and child welfare; social isolation; solidarity and mutual aid, economic recovery and professional reinsertion; domestic violence and sexual abuse.