FDBusiness.com

Mars will invest approximately $1 billion in its Sustainable in a Generation Plan, which focuses on areas where the US-based group can impact change on some of the world’s biggest problems, as defined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to Grant F Reid, chief executive of Mars, business needs to lead “transformational change” in order to tackle the most urgent threats facing the planet and its people. “If we are to help deliver on the targets agreed in Paris and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, there has to be a huge step change. While many companies have been working on being more sustainable, the current level of progress is nowhere near enough.”

He elaborates: “Mars has been in business for four generations and intends to be for the next four generations. The only way that will happen is if we do things differently to ensure that the planet is healthy and all people in our extended supply chains have the opportunity to thrive. We must work together, because the engine of global business – its supply chain – is broken, and requires transformational, cross-industry collaboration to fix it.”

Grant F Reid, chief executive of Mars.

The Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan outlines three interconnected ambitions:

• Healthy Planet – with an ambition to reduce environmental impacts in line with what science says is necessary to keep the planet healthy – focusing on climate action, water stewardship and land management. For example, Mars has announced a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 67% by 2050 – dramatically expanding on previous goals to reduce GHGs in its operations.
• Thriving People – with an ambition to meaningfully improve the working lives of one million people in its value chain to enable them to thrive – focusing on increasing income, respecting human rights and unlocking opportunities for women. For example, we have launched the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming to foster sustainability and poverty reduction in extended supply chains and the Farmer Income Lab, a collaborative “think-do tank” focused on generating the missing insights needed to eradicate smallholder poverty.
• Nourishing Wellbeing – with an ambition to advance science, innovation and marketing in ways that help billions of people and their pets lead healthier, happier lives. This continues on its current efforts around food safety and security; product and ingredient renovation; and responsible marketing.

Grant F Reid continues: “This plan is about not just doing better, but doing what’s necessary. We’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do but also because it’s good business. Creating mutual benefits for the people in our supply chain, and mitigating our impact on the environment are sound business choices. We also know that increasingly our consumers care about these issues as much as we do.”

With almost $35 billion in sales globally, Mars produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals. Mars operates in more than 80 countries.