Polymer compositions containing an ultraviolet radiation absorbing polyglycerol that has low fractions of diglycerol chromophore conjugates and that includes a UV-chromophore chemically bound thereto are provided, as well as processes to prepare such polymer compositions that includes preparing a polyglycerol intermediate by polymerizing glycerol; removing residual glycerol and low molecular weight fractions from the polyglycerol intermediate to form an enriched polyglycerol intermiedate having low fractions of diglycerol; and reacting the enriched polyglycerol intermediate with a UV-chromophore having a complementary functional group to form the polymer composition, and compositions using the ultraviolet radiation absorbing polyglycerol.