Food & Drink August 2024 | Page 22

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
Q . HOW DOES A SUCCESSFUL SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY BENEFIT MARS ?

» Protecting our planet tomorrow starts with how we do business today . This vision is at the heart of our Sustainable in a Generation Plan , working towards a healthy planet , where people and pets thrive , and society is inclusive . Our Net Zero Roadmap isn ’ t just about doing better ; it ’ s about doing what is necessary .

We ’ re doing this because it ’ s the right thing to do , but also because it ’ s good for business . Creating mutual benefits for the people in our supply chain and mitigating our impact on the environment are sound business choices . An example from another of our brands is Galaxy ’ s commitment to responsibly sourced cocoa and support for people in our supply chains .
Progress will be imperfect , but the roadmap demonstrates that the business case to act now is both achievable and affordable .
Q . HOW MUCH AUTONOMY DOES MARS UK HAVE ?

» Sustainability touches every part of the business . Our thinking is global but , we ’ re realising projects and initiatives at a regional and local level . This is especially true here in the UK where we really kickstarted our sustainability in 2016 with the Moy Wind Farm where Mars agreed to buy its electricity from Eneco UK ’ s Moy Wind Farm , a company that generates its power from wind turbines in the Highlands . Since then and moving forward to this year , Mars has been investing in packaging innovation – from increasing recycled

packaging content to exploring innovative alternatives to plastic – such as our in-store Bean Board trial in Tesco stores , to pilot a new material made from cocoa bean shells for promotional displays .
Mars UK has also invested in reductions to its carbon footprint through new and improved logistics and fulfilment centres – including the opening of the London Thames Gateway facility , in partnership with DHL , which will reduce Mars UK ’ s logistics carbon footprint by 7.7 % and remove a million miles a year from roads .
We know there is a lot more to do , but we ’ re committing to taking big strides towards our goals and I ’ m incredibly proud that Mars is taking bold action to reduce GHGs emissions across the business . we ’ re putting sustainability at our core ; improving our environmental footprint , operating and sourcing responsibly and bringing more innovative , sustainable choices to consumers across the country .
22 August 2024