Mars reveals environmental strategy

Mars has launched a six-point environmental initiative, ‘Mars on Earth’, to demonstrate its environmental credentials.

It wants to scrap all waste going to landfill by 2011 and slash carbon emissions generated by water and transport use by 30% by 2012. Further aims include a 20% cut in carbon emissions related to energy use by 2020, a 25% cut in office waste and a 10% reduction in packaging by 2010.

“Mars on Earth demonstrates our responsibility to the planet and builds on activity already underway,” said Mars Snackfood md Fiona Dawson. “We want to achieve reductions in the energy we use to manufacture our products; in the production waste we generate; the water we use; the packaging containing our products and transport emissions.”

Mars said its environmental initiatives to date had included cutting energy use per tonne of product made at its King’s Lynne food factory by 54% since 2005. It has also slashed water use at its Slough factory by 39.4% in the same timescale.

The campaign dovetails with ‘Thirsty for Change’, a global project inaugurated by Mars Drinks. The scheme aims to invest 20% of Mars Drinks’ research and development budget into brand development that helps consumers reduce their energy use and waste going to landfill. It also aims to enable them to support societies in the developing world.

A spokesman for Mars Drinks said Thirsty for Change would include sourcing 30% of its drinks from certified sources that invested in workers and their local communities and environments. The choice of certification schemes Mars Drinks was committed to was still being made, he added. “We’re committed to sourcing 30% of our drinks from certified fair trade sources by 2010.”

Klix and Flavia machines which vend Mars Drinks products were also being changed to reduce waste and make them more environmentally friendly.