Our Sustainable in a Generation Plan is about doing what’s right, not just doing what’s better

At Mars, we have often led the way with our sustainability policies and our work to tackle climate change but, to date, we’ve been content to let our actions speak louder than our words.

Yet, today, we’ve made the decision to step up to the microphone and make our voice heard. We’re moving to center stage, a place we’ve often left to others, because the world faces some important choices.

Within days, Climate Week and the opening of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly will take place in New York and there’s a sense of urgency in the air. A feeling that it’s time to make good on the resolutions of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

So, I confess, I’m delighted, not only because we’ve chosen this moment to reveal a far-reaching set of ambitions, covering a host of critical global issues - but also that we’re speaking out about them in an effort to drive the transformational cross-industry leadership that is needed.  

If we are to spark transformational change, we need companies and countries, our peers and our partners, to all come together.

Our new Sustainable in a Generation plan, launched this morning, is a $1 billion investment by Mars that will change the way we operate.

It is about pushing the boundaries of business, not the planet. We want to take a leadership position on renewables, on emissions and on the use of the world’s precious resources, not because we want to do a bit better, but because we need to do what is necessary.

Stepping forward so boldly, like this, doesn’t come naturally, but it does give us all a better chance of building the coalitions the world needs to deliver change, because - it’s clear - no one country, company or government can achieve it on their own, nor should they be expected to.  

The planet belongs to all of us so we have a duty to look after it. That is why we are limiting our emissions, land and water use, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 67% by 2050, and cutting unsustainable water across our extended supply chain by half by 2025.

A healthy planet is crucial, but so is enabling the people in our value chain to thrive.

Around the world many groups of small-holder farmers are in jeopardy, with yields at a standstill. Often these farmers don’t own their land and are unable to access bank loans to make improvements.

While globalization and free markets have lifted over one billion people out of poverty since 1990 there remain systemic market failures made worse by failed politics. Globalization in itself will not solve poverty and economic inequality. There need to be interventions.

It’s here, that we are making a concerted effort to achieve progress in the lives of smallholder farmers and their families, and to unlock opportunities for women.

Our efforts will focus on meaningfully improving the working lives of one million people in our value chain to enable them to thrive. This means challenging ourselves to improve livelihoods and the quality of life for farmers, crop by crop, beginning with cocoa, mint and rice.

Like all our commitments, we have taken these decisions because we believe it’s the right thing to do. As a family owned business, we have the freedom to operate in this way, because we think in terms of generations, not quarters.  

We see the world today and recognize the importance of protecting livelihoods, limiting cimate change and protecting the world’s resources for future generations.

These are big problems to solve, but the more time passes, the more critical it will be for the safety and security of the planet that we solve them.

So, by stepping up to the mic, we hope we can create an understanding of how important it is for business to stand up and be counted on big issues, like this.

At the same time, let’s also acknowledge that, in working to improve today’s threatened world, actions will always speak louder than words.