Jan. 19, 2023

Jeffrey Whitford - Head of Sustainability & Social Business Innovation

Today on the Life Science Success Podcast my guest is Jeffrey Whitford. Today, Jeffrey serves as head of sustainability & social business innovation at the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, an almost 10 billion euro global...

Show Notes
Guest Profile

Introduction

01:57 Tell listeners just a little bit about yourself

08:36 I mentioned in the opening that you smoke and bought snake venom from somebody. So can you tell us just a little bit more about that story?

13:32 Being the head of life sciences in sustainability, I would imagine that you have a tough job. So, what are some of the biggest challenges that you've faced?

17:58 One of the terms you mentioned a second ago was “green science”. And would like for you to just tell us a little bit more about what that is?

23:51 One of the things that your bio also mentions is that you're responsible for social responsibility. Can you tell us a little bit more about what your focus is there?

34:50 There are three questions that I like to ask every guest.

-What Inspires you?

35:47 -What concerns you?

38:51 -What excites you?

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Jeffrey Whitford

Head of Sustainability & Social Business Innovation

Jeffrey Whitford once bought snake venom from a man in Louisiana. In fact, that’s just one of many out-of-the-ordinary experiences he’s enjoyed over the past 15+ years of employment with the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada. Each role he’s held thus far has contributed to the breadth and depth of his understanding of the business, uniquely preparing him to speak a language that lands with colleagues across functions and to create initiatives that touch every part of the business.

Today, Whitford serves as head of sustainability & social business innovation at the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a $10 billion global supplier of tools, chemicals and equipment, employing more than 26,000 employees. He is responsible for developing and implementing strategic programs in green chemistry, product recycling, environmental sustainability and social responsibility. When Sigma-Aldrich was acquired by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in 2015, he was named head of corporate responsibility for the Life Science business. Prior to that, he was head of global citizenship, held several marketing roles and completed a rotation in procurement. He also spent three and a half years as an American expatriate in Germany, during which time he took on an additional role as head of internal communications for Merck KGaA’s healthcare business. Through this position, he helped connect more than 18,000 employees with the business’s developments and progress as it transformed into a g… Read More