Mars has unveiled ‘The Mars Net Zero Roadmap,’ a comprehensive strategy aimed at attaining carbon neutrality throughout its entire supply chain by 2050.

Within the roadmap, a fresh objective has been incorporated, seeking a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to the 2015 baseline, along with a clear trajectory leading to complete carbon neutrality by 2050.

Despite reaching its peak emissions in 2018, the company has successfully curtailed its greenhouse gas emissions by 8%, equivalent to a reduction of 2.6 million metric tons, when compared to its 2015 baseline. Remarkably, the company has achieved this while simultaneously expanding its business by 60% during the same period.

As an integral component of the action plan, Mars has committed to investing more than $1 billion over the next three years and will remain dedicated to allocating financial resources as necessary until it attains its goal of net-zero emissions.

A recent Ipsos survey, commissioned by Mars, has revealed that even amidst challenging economic conditions, an average of 69% of adults in the world’s seven largest economies believe that businesses should maintain or increase their efforts in addressing climate change rather than prioritizing economic challenges. This comprehensive research involved 14,468 individuals across the USA, UK, China, Japan, Germany, France, and India.

The survey also highlighted that close to half of the population in the world’s seven largest economies assign “significant” responsibility to multinational corporations and governments for implementing measures to combat climate change.

Poul Weihrauch, Mars CEO said, “We cannot wait for the economy to improve; we must push forward with investments that protect our business today and in the future…Investment in climate is not a trade-off between planet and productivity, or between environment and employment. Consumers and our associates clearly want both – and so do we. Investing in emissions reductions is sound business policy, it is achievable, affordable, and it is absolutely necessary.”

In pursuit of net-zero emissions, Mars intends to intensify its efforts by transitioning to 100% renewable energy sources, overhauling supply chain practices to halt deforestation, expanding climate-smart agriculture initiatives, refining recipes, enhancing logistics efficiency, and deeply integrating climate action into its core business operations.

Weihrauch emphasized that companies should be evaluated based on the tangible outcomes they achieve in alignment with their climate strategies, rather than solely on the magnitude of their commitments. He drew a parallel, stating that similar to how boards and investors assess performance based on financial results, the focus should be on the delivery of climate goals rather than the caliber of climate projections.