• Mars cut GHG emissions by 16% since 2015, while growing the business by 60%.
• Mars invested over $1 billion in climate initiatives, aiming for 50% reduction by 2030.
• New initiatives will cover over 1 million acres of regenerative agriculture by 2030.

Mars Achieves Record Emissions Reduction Amidst Growth

Mars, Incorporated has made significant strides in reducing its carbon footprint. The 2023 Mars Sustainable in a Generation Report reveals a record 8% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a single year, doubling its total reduction to 16% since 2015. Despite this, the company’s business has grown by over 60%, reaching more than $50 billion in annual sales.

Mars CEO Poul Weihrauch stated, “Last year, we published our Net Zero Roadmap promising to accelerate our carbon reductions, and with this year’s results, we are delivering on our business strategy to continue to grow while reducing our carbon emissions. We still have a long way to go, but we will continue to follow the science and show how a responsible business can both do well and do good.“

Scaling Climate-Smart Agriculture

With nearly 60% of Mars’ GHG footprint coming from agriculture, the company is investing heavily in climate-smart agricultural practices. Mars aims to achieve more than 1 million acres of regenerative agriculture globally by 2030.

Key Initiatives Include:

• U.S. and Poland: Supporting 1,900 farmers in adopting climate-smart methods on over 1.2 million acres for crops like corn, soy, and wheat used in Mars pet food brands.
• France and Belgium: Partnering with Soil Capital to provide financial support to 250 farmers, covering 300,000 hectares of farmland.
• Mexico and Brazil: Collaborating with CIMMYT and Producing Right to equip 100 corn producers with tools and knowledge to adopt regenerative agriculture practices.
• Sustainable Dairy Plan: A $47 million investment over three years with partners Fonterra, Land O’Lakes, Interfood, and FrieslandCampina to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy sourcing.

Related Article: GM to Retire 50 Million Tons of GHG Credits to Settle EPA Emissions Probe

Barry Parkin, Mars Chief Sustainability and Procurement Officer, emphasized the importance of these initiatives, “Our latest carbon reductions show we are on track to deliver a 50% reduction by 2030. While we’re proud of this progress, we know we have more work to do, and we look forward to continuing to scale our progress. It is critically important to strengthen our programs with farmers to help the transition to climate smart and regenerative agriculture.“

Explore more about Mars’ climate actions and initiatives in the 2023 Mars Sustainable in a Generation Report.