The new engagement, which also includes Mars bars sold in the UK and Ireland, represents tangible climate action less than a month after March, Incorporated, Mars Wrigley parent company, announced its commitment to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2050.
Mars Wrigley is committed to doing more and aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the Mars bar by Canada by more than 20% by 2023. This will result from the fact that the company will intensify its efforts to transform the agricultural practices of the supply chain in a sustainable way, in particular by using satellite data to geolocate cocoa plantations and by pursuing other efforts to fight deforestation. Any emissions that cannot be eliminated will be offset by high quality carbon removal credits based on climate solutions such as reforestation and land restoration.
The world’s largest chocolate maker will work with an independent auditor to certify the Mars bar as carbon neutral and adhere to the NOT 2060 standard for carbon neutrality, which offers radical transparency and is widely regarded as the leading international standard for carbon neutral specification.
“On Mars, the world we want tomorrow is a world where the planet is healthy, and that means taking bold action today,” said Chantal Templeton, General manager, Mars Wrigley Canada. “Starting with the iconic Mars bar, and supported by our global net zero commitment, this is the type of critical action needed to tackle the climate emergency and address the health and sustainability of our planet.”
Mars has been driving climate action for more than a decade. The Mars bar, which was made in Newmarket, Ontario for more than 30 years, has already been produced in a LEED Silver certified factory, sends no waste to landfill and incorporates several energy saving initiatives, including heat recovery from operations to heat the building. Future reductions will be driven by a combination of efficiency actions, investments in new technologies and renewable on-site and external projects.
For more information on Mars, Incorporated’s climate commitments and Sustainable in a Generation Plan, visit www.mars.com/sustainability-plan.
Notes to Editors
- Deforestation and land use change are important drivers of carbon emissions in the agricultural supply chain. To achieve Mars’ ambition of a deforestation-free cocoa supply chain, Mars uses satellite data to geolocate cocoa plantations and has already mapped more than a third of its supply chain. This allows the monitoring and management of the cocoa supply chain through almost constant satellite monitoring. Transparency is important to Mars, and they make their progress publicly available through a interactive menu.
About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow begins with the way we do business today. This idea is central to what we have always been as a global family business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to having a positive impact on the world around us. In our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food and pet care products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated associates who are all headed in the same direction: moving forward. With 40 billion dollars in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s most beloved brands, including DOVE®, ADDITIONAL®, M & M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, BOWLS®, BEN’S ORIGINAL ™, WHISKAS®, COCOAAVIA®, and 5 ™; and care for half of the world’s pets with our AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals ™, BluePearl pet health services®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners ™ and VCA ™.
We know that we can only truly be successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate are also thriving. The five principles of Mars – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – encourage our Associates to act every day to help create a world of tomorrow in which the planet, its inhabitants and its animals can prosper. For more information on Mars, please visit www.mars.com.
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THE SOURCE March Canada
For further information: For media inquiries: Mars Canada, Shannon Denny, (416) 884-1877, [email protected]; Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Alex Mitchell, (236) 622-2530, [email protected]
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