Principles in Action: Mars Shares Results on Far-Reaching Health & Sustainability Commitments in New Report

Attaining zero waste to landfill from all factories, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and opening a global food safety center highlight the company's latest achievements

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Mars, Incorporated

Jun 30, 2016, 12:29 ET

MCLEAN, Va., June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mars, Incorporated released its sixth annual Principles in Action Summary, spotlighting progress the company has made on commitments in the areas of sustainability, health and wellbeing, food safety, responsible marketing, and workplace engagement. The company's 'report card' reflects the cumulative efforts of its diverse business segments, including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.

"We have made significant progress toward making our operations truly sustainable over the last five years," said Barry Parkin, Chief Sustainability and Health & Wellbeing Officer for Mars, Incorporated. "Our Associates are engaged in the work we are doing, and we're proud that, as of the end of 2015, we achieved a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from our operations and generated zero waste to landfill from all of our factories around the world. But we also missed the target in some critical areas—such as sustainable packaging improvements—so there's plenty more to be done. Over the next five years—and beyond—we will continue to bring our Five Principles to life across our entire supply chain, from farm to consumer."

Here are some highlights from Mars' 2015 Principles in Action Summary:

Life at Mars – Mars Associates have ample opportunities to achieve their career and personal goals. For the fifth year in a row, Mars made Great Place to Work's 2015 "World's Best Multinational Workplaces" top 25 list, in addition to being named the best workplace in Europe and one of the best multinational workplaces in Asia. Through Mars University, the company's global development curriculum, Associates had access to 478,193 hours of training to broaden their experience, skills and leadership competencies.

Health & Wellbeing – In 2015, Mars continued to pursue a shift toward marketing its chocolate and confectionery products as occasional treats, and by the end of the year, 99.8 percent of those products (all but a small range of Bounty bars sold in Canada) were below 250 kcal per serving. Mars also took a leadership position in supporting leading health authorities' advice that people limit their intake of added sugars to no more than 10 percent of total calories, and delivered on its commitment to provide GDA labeling on chocolate, confectionery and food products. Also in 2015, Mars launched the Food Nutrition Criteria to guide the company's Food segment in making its products healthier.

Food Safety – Mars continues to pioneer research in food safety and security by partnering with others in the food industry, academia, NGOs and government agencies, and in 2015, the company opened the Mars Global Food Safety Center in China to foster pre-competitive research and training.

Sustainability – Mars reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 25 percent from a 2007 baseline and generated zero waste to landfill from all 126 of its manufacturing sites globally. The company's Mesquite Creek wind farm in Texas began generating the equivalent of 100 percent of the electricity required to power Mars' U.S. operations in 2015 (and since then, Mars launched the Moy wind farm in Scotland, which will generate enough electricity to power all 12 Mars sites in the U.K.). In terms of raw materials, Mars hit its targets in three critical areas, obtaining 100 percent of its palm oil, black tea and coffee, 40 percent of its cocoa, and 35 percent of its fish and seafood from certified sources. The company missed its targets in the area of packaging, where it reduced overall packaging weight by 5.2 percent versus a goal of 10 percent and delivered 89 percent of recyclable or recoverable packaging versus a goal of 100 percent.

"While we celebrate our progress and the efforts of Mars Associates all over the world, we're also keenly aware that big challenges remain," said Grant F. Reid, CEO and Office of the President for Mars, Incorporated. "We know many of the farmers who grow our raw materials, such as cocoa, mint, rice and tea, are not earning a sufficient income. Obesity and malnutrition remain global challenges. Climate change and a sustainable future for agriculture need to be urgently addressed. But I'm optimistic. I'm confident that we are making a positive impact and creating growth that we can be proud of by delivering on our Five Principles of Quality, Responsibility, Efficiency, Mutuality and Freedom. I'm also certain that by working together, business, government, non-governmental organizations and society can secure a great future for generations to come."

Download Mars' 2015 Principles in Action Summary here.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned business with more than a century of history and some of the best-loved brands in the world including M&M'S®, PEDIGREE®, DOUBLEMINT® and UNCLE BEN'S®. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars has more than $33 billion in sales from six diverse business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience. More than 80,000 Associates across 78 countries are united by the company's Five Principles: Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality and Freedom and strive every day to create relationships with stakeholders that deliver growth we are proud of as a company.

Mars is recognized as a 'great place to work' in many places around the world—click here to find out where.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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