Mars presents progress achieved with its Sustainable in a generation plan

With the increasing impacts of climate change, the pandemic and social injustice, Mars is as committed as ever to tackle the environmental and societal threats we face through the science based actions and in support of the UN’S Sustainable Development Goals. Mars, one of the world’s biggest confectionery, food and pet food manufacturers, highlights its 2020 progress with the Sustainable in a Generation plan, which aims to drive transformational change across its extended supply chain.

Success stories from on our Healthy Planet pillar

“Even as our Associates and business shifted to new ways of working during the pandemic, we are proud to continue to make progress in so many of our sustainability areas of focus. Our commitment to a healthy planet means we are transforming the way we work across Mars, from how we source our materials to the energy we use to make our products. Today, more than 54% of the electricity used by our locations is from renewable sources – with 11 countries where the company operates sourcing 100% renewable electricity for their activity and eight more countries to follow by 2025.” Said Mars representatives.

This contributes to reducing the company’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a target of 27% by 2025 and 67% by 2050, across the Mars value chain. The 2020 scorecard shows the company achieved a 7.3% decrease so far, being on track with its commitment.

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What is more, Mars is joining the circular economy by looking at packaging. The company is reducing packaging it does not need, redesigning packaging it needs and investing to close the loop. Over the past year, Mars reached a 21.7% progress towards the 2025 goal to have 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging and is currently running several pilot projects around new packaging technologies which will help accelerate towards its goal.

Advancing Thriving People pillar commitments

Recognizing the important role that healthy and thriving communities play in supply chains and not only, Mars continues to sustain farming communities. Currently, the company touches upon 233.000 people from these communities through its ongoing programs while the company’s goal is to improve the lives of 1 million people. As part of the company’s efforts, given that COVID-19 has had the harshest impact on the most vulnerable people, many of whom live in fishing and farming communities around the world, Mars donated, to date, more than 39 million USD in these communities. Moreover, the company also sustains local communities where it activates. For example, Mars Central Europe donated, in 2020, products and money amounting to about 600.000 EUR across the four Central European countries it operates: Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

“There’s never been a more appropriate and critical time to talk about what organizations stand for — and, more importantly, the purposeful actions they’re taking to make a difference in the world. As we navigate this prolonged period of global disruption, all organizations have an opportunity and responsibility to define what comes next — for people and the planet we share”, said Zuzana Losakova, Corporate Affairs Director for Mars Central Europe.

For more information, please consult the Mars 2020 full report here, together with several stories about other ongoing projects from the Healthy Planet, Thriving People and Nourishing Wellbeing pillars.