Mars, Incorporated Invests $1 Billion in Comprehensive Climate Action Plan

Mars, Incorporated, known for its range of consumer goods, including M&M’S, BEN’S ORIGINAL rice, and PEDIGREE pet food, announced plans to invest over $1 billion in climate action over the next three years. The initiative aligns with new Ipsos research indicating that 47% of American adults believe multi-national companies like Mars should bear responsibility for combating climate change.

Mars unveiled its Mars Net Zero Roadmap, an open-source action plan targeting a 50% reduction in carbon emissions across its value chain by 2030. This goal equates to eliminating 15 million metric tons of carbon, akin to removing nearly 3 million cars from American roads.

In addition to its net-zero ambitions, Mars is focusing on specific environmental sub-sectors:

Soil: Mars-owned pet food brand NUTRO has expanded its partnership with soil advocacy nonprofit Kiss the Ground. Their joint educational mini docuseries will aim to close the awareness gap regarding soil’s role in agriculture.

Oceans: Mars’s SHEBA cat food brand is committed to restoring coral reefs around the world, with 30 ongoing restoration projects including new endeavors in Hawai’i.

Waste: Mars is reinventing its product packaging, investing hundreds of millions of dollars to create fully recyclable packaging options for its products. Innovations include M&M’s theater boxes that eliminate 98 metric tons of plastic waste annually.

Crops: Mars Food’s Ben’s Original brand is committed to sourcing 100% climate-smart rice by adopting water-saving techniques, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs for farmers.

Anton Vincent, President of Mars Incorporated North America, highlighted that the company’s global operations are committed to positive environmental impact, ranging from ingredient sourcing to packaging and distribution. Mars’s climate action plan thus seeks to make extensive changes across its entire value chain to promote sustainability.