From 0 to 1 Billion in 10 years, The Mars way.


 

mars_products 

John Thys | AFP | Getty Images

Golden/Denver Colorado June 22, 2018 –

Integrated People Solutions found this article by Erica Hauver provided great insights into sustainability within a large US company. IPS supports sustainable and balanced business practices and sees this space growing and consumers/clients adjusting their spending and decision making based upon a company’s practices and transparency with regard to sustainability. 

From 0 to 1 Billion in 10 years, The Mars way.

By Erica Hauver from GreenBiz

Sustainability is a growing factor in every industry. How can you make sure you live up to the standard? For Mars, it is walking the talk before talking the talk. How Mars lives up to their Five principles. Will you be next?

 

Mars has generated numerous headlines by committing $1 billion to achieve the company’s Sustainable in a Generation Plan.

A billion dollars is a lot of money, even for Mars. But leaving aside the substantial funding, the announcement could be seen as yet another plan marking the beginning of a company’s sustainability journey. Looks can be deceiving. The Mars commitment and plan are exceptional — not just for the goals set for the future, but for what Mars already has achieved.

The company has spent the past decade methodically institutionalizing a sustainable business mindset and practices across this large organization ($35 billion annual revenue; 80,000 employees; 80 countries). Mars is a family-owned business that largely has shunned publicity for 100 years. Ensuring it was walking the talk before it made external announcements is the Mars way. And walking the talk at Mars means meeting a wholly different standard from most other companies.

Institutionalizing anything in a large, complex organization is one of the most difficult tasks any company can undertake. How has Mars done it?

 

Defining its own path

The topic of sustainability hit the agenda of Mars’ global management team meetings in 2007. At that point, the company had no sustainability plan and little understanding of what all the noise was about. A Mars regional president was asked to form an executive-level team to assess the risks and relevance of sustainability to its business and report back.

From the outset, Mars was willing to cut its own path. Corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting were driving the approach that many peers adopted. But Mars leaders knew that externally imposed approaches would not get traction within the business.

Instead, Mars started with its products — and that has made all the difference.

An unvarnished, data-driven sustainability story was developed for the top brands in each of its business segments — chocolate, pet care, food, drinks and Wrigley. These sustainability stories quantified the social and environmental impacts of each product, as well the related commercial risks.

Powerful insights emerged for each brand and division, and for the company as a whole, about its most valuable assets. Answers to “What is the relevance of sustainability to our business?” and “What is the relevance of our business to sustainability?” became clear and compelling when depicted and quantified through the lens of the company’s iconic brands.

From the moment those sustainability stories were circulated, sustainability became accepted as an integral part of Mars’ operations and corporate strategy.

 

Principles, led and lived

When Mars does attract media attention, some mention is usually made of the company’s Five Principles: quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency, and freedom. Meetings are conducted in accordance with these principles. Decisions are evaluated against them. The Mars community as a whole is expected to live by them.

 

Some have described the company as cult-like in the importance it places on these principles. But in a world where there is so much room for improvement in how we treat each other and the planet, Mars’ unwavering determination to shape its ecosystem according to these principles is impressive.

The Five Principles underpin a strong corporate culture that can be traced back a century. The strength and nature of this culture is perhaps the most powerful tool Mars has had for institutionalizing sustainable business practices. Sustainability goals added a new “what” to the jobs of Mars’ employees, but much of the “how” and all of the “why” already were embedded in its Five Principles. This lowered many barriers other companies have faced with the rollout of their sustainability programs.

Much has been written about the power of sustainability programs to improve a company’s culture. The lesson from Mars is that “going with the grain” of existing culture can be a powerful sustainability accelerator.

 

Moral leadership

Finally, a note on leadership. It’s easier to find motivation for action when sustainability trends pose a risk to your business. But when a company has negative social or environmental impacts and there is no compelling commercial imperative to take action, most companies end up stuck in debate over their responsibilities to their shareholders versus society and environment.

This is where Mars has had a distinct advantage. Its shareholders are the Mars family. And that family cares deeply about the company’s legacy. Mars executives don’t have to pause to consider whether they should go above and beyond if it is the right thing to do. It’s expected if you work for Mars. But so is delivering your numbers.

Nobody said it was easy to do both. But Mars is showing that it’s possible.

 

Originally posted Here by Erica Hauver from GreenBiz

 

Integrated People Solutions has worked with Mars in the past to find excellent talent and help their team achieve success in their initiatives. 

About Kennedy Executive

Kennedy Executive Search & Consulting is a global partner network of retained search boutiques in Europe, Africa, North America and Asia Pacific with offices in Amsterdam, Budapest, Copenhagen, Denver, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Milan, Monaco, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Sydney and Vienna. The network covers 360 degrees of talent management: executive search finds and assesses the right talent in the market, consulting develops people and organizations. With the addition of Evolve South Africa, Kennedy is now active on 4 continents and in 14 countries and offers a global reach. Between the 75+ consultants and researchers, 30 languages are spoken. As a network Kennedy will run 365 strategic recruitments all over the world this year. Kennedy Executive Search & Consulting helps organizations to achieve their goals and people to enhance their careers every day.

 

 

 

We use cookies to give you the best experience.

Simon Roads

Vice President of Sales

Born and raised in England, Simon Roads has had a distinguished career in various forms of aviation spanning over 45 years. His journey began as an A&P mechanic in the Royal Air Force and has encompassed a range of roles, ultimately leading to his position as the VP of Global Sales for Honda Aircraft. Throughout this extensive career, he has had the privilege of closely collaborating with Royalty, Dignitaries, and high net worth individuals, providing them with unparalleled expertise and a steadfast commitment to excellence in aviation services.

Having been immersed in the aviation industry for nearly half a century, his wealth of insights and knowledge has established him as a trusted figure within the field. His extensive experience has provided him with the opportunity to engage with diverse cultures, interacting with individuals from various walks of life, and ensuring that their distinctive requirements and preferences are met with the utmost precision.

One of his notable strengths lies in his adeptness at effectively managing global teams. Over the course of his career, he has demonstrated successful leadership and mentorship of professionals from different backgrounds and nationalities, fostering an environment characterized by collaboration, growth, and mutual respect.

Understanding different cultures has played a pivotal role in his professional journey. By taking part in the customs, traditions, and practices of his clients he not only fosters strong relationships but has also gained a profound appreciation for the unique needs and expectations of each of his clients.

Away from work, his priority is his family. His role as grandad to three wonderful boys, brings him immense joy. He has a penchant for outdoor activities such as cycling, kayaking, and golf. Additionally, he has developed a passion for cooking and continually seeks to learn new culinary techniques. The art of balancing life and work is an ongoing journey for him, and he considers himself fortunate to be able to savor the best of both worlds.

You can contact Simon at sroads@ipeoplesolutions.com

Meredith Stanley

Executive Recruiter

Meredith joined IPS in 2023 as an Executive Recruiter with over 5 years of recruiting experience at Amazon and Lyft. Prior to making the shift to recruiting, Meredith was an Executive Assistant for over 3 years at a Seattle-based insurance company. With a passion for finding top talent, Meredith has hired for a wide range of roles across North America in the hardware, micromobility, operations, transportation, and tech spaces.

After an unsuccessful attempt at a Chemical Engineering degree, Meredith graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies.

Meredith has a passion for live music, playing both piano and trombone. She also enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors either skiing, hiking or scuba diving.

You can contact Meredith at Meredith@ipeoplesolutions.com

Skip to content