Mars, Incorporated Publishes Principles in Action Communication

World-leading food company outlines its history, its Principles-based approach to business, and its commitments to make a difference for people and the planet through performance

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Mars, Incorporated

Sep 28, 2011, 03:00 ET

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars, Incorporated today launched its updated global corporate website, Mars.com, including a summary of its Principles in Action. These communications outline the history of Mars, its legacy as a business committed to its Five Principles and the company's goal of putting its Principles into action to make a difference to people and the planet through performance.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110928/NY76189LOGO )

Encompassing themes of Health and Nutrition, Supply Chain, Operations, Products and Working at Mars, the Principles in Action communication outlines Mars Incorporated's targets, progress, and ongoing challenges. It also describes its businesses – including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.

"What most people know about Mars is that we have a portfolio of brands that are loved by billions of consumers around the globe," comments Paul S. Michaels, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mars, Incorporated. "What they might not know is that we are a diverse, privately-owned corporation with more than 65,000 Associates, and that we have built our business on Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom. These Principles unite all of us at Mars across generations, cultures and languages."

"While we have always engaged with our communities and our partners, we recognize that we have an opportunity to expand our communication to a broader audience. Very reasonably, people want to know that they are choosing to support brands and companies that live up to their responsibilities to their Associates, consumers, customers, suppliers, communities and the environment. I am proud that delivering against these responsibilities is at the very heart of who we are, and has been for generations."

Key targets outlined by Mars in these new communications include the company's ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions from factories and offices to zero by 2040 – a strategy Mars, Incorporated plans to achieve through absolute emission reductions, without the use of carbon offsets and regardless of business growth.

Other highlights include details of sustainable sourcing policies across a range of essential raw materials – ranging from coffee and tea to rice, fish, cocoa and palm oil.

And in the area of Health & Nutrition, Mars outlines its global commitment to not advertise food, snack and confectionery products to children under 12 – a commitment made as a first in the industry in 2007. The updated Mars.com includes full details the company's Marketing Code, as well as its commitment to implement Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) nutrition labeling on the majority of its chocolate and confection products by the end of 2011.

"As a company, our objective is to create lasting, mutual benefits for all those involved in our business success by creating positive social impacts, minimizing our environmental impacts and creating economic value," explains Michaels. "This has been vital to our success over the last 100 years, and will allow us to endure in the long term. In some arenas, we are making good progress, in others - like cocoa sustainability - we have more work to do. But, through collaboration with stakeholders including our customers, suppliers, governments, NGOs, academics and business peers, we're committed to addressing these challenges and opportunities," added Michaels.

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920's, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the foundation of the Mars, Incorporated we are today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 65,000 Associates worldwide that are putting our Mars Principles in action to make a difference for people and the planet through our performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™, WISDOM PANEL™ and SERAMIS®. For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars.

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated