Mars Wrigley advances cocoa sustainability through progress in empowering women and protecting forests

• Mars releases Cocoa for Generations report detailing its latest progress towards creating a modern, inclusive and sustainable supply chain
• Progress includes significant progress on its Women for Change program with CARE and key deforestation-free milestones
• Iconic candy and snack company sourced 61% cocoa through its Responsible Cocoa program, on track to reach 100% target by 2025

CHICAGO, September 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — March Wrigley, a chocolate maker for more than 100 years, today released its Cocoa for Generations progress report. The report details the company’s progress towards creating a modern, inclusive and sustainable cocoa supply chain, with 100% of its cocoa sourced responsibly and traceable from farm to first point of purchase. here 2025.

Andrew ClarkMars Wrigley Global Chairman: “Too many cocoa farmers continue to face a range of challenges ranging from poverty to child labor and deforestation. The impacts of climate change and global crises are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in cocoa farming communities and the beyond. That’s why we aim to accelerate the transformation of the cocoa supply chain so that it benefits both people and the planet. To achieve this, we work to protect children, preserve forests and improving farmers’ incomes. We challenge ourselves and the whole sector to evolve and adopt approaches that have the greatest impact where it matters most – in the cocoa farming communities across Latin America, West Africaand South East Asia.”

Amber JohnsonVice President Mars Wrigley Cocoa: “We cannot do this work alone. The changes and scale needed to achieve lasting and demonstrable improvements for cocoa farming families and their communities requires thinking and collaborating in new ways. We are working to transform the cocoa ecosystem, and while we have made significant progress to date, we are not yet finished.Through our programs and in collaboration with key global partners, including industry peers, governments , development agencies, research institutes and civil society organizations, we share what works and what we learn along the way. modern, inclusive and sustainable cocoa supply chain where the environment is protected, human rights are respected and everyone has the opportunity to flourish.

Report details March Wrigley meaningful progress in 2021 and highlights notable achievements to date. Thanks to its Cocoa for Generations strategy, March Wrigley is strongly committed to accelerating the transformation of the cocoa sector. March Wrigley backs up its commitment with action. Recently, the company launched two innovative programs to support 14,000 smallholder farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia on the path to a sustainable living income by 2030.

March Wrigley Progress against the goals set out in the Cocoa for Generations strategy includes two notable milestones:

• Create opportunities for women. In collaboration with CARE, the Women for Change program has reached more than 77,000 members in cocoa growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, through its Village Savings and Loans Association program. This effort has supported nearly 58,000 women, resulting in more than $7.4 million in group savings and more $3.7 million in distributed credits. These funds have been used in various ways, including for cocoa farming activities; household expenses, such as access to education, health needs and nutritious food; and additional income-generating activities, including growing other crops such as rice and raising sheep, pigs and other animals.

• Fight against deforestation. March Wrigley is on track to achieve a deforestation-free and conversion-free supply chain for 100% of the cocoa it sources by 2025.
• One of the efforts driving the company’s progress is farm plot polygon mapping, which plots the perimeter of a farm rather than a single GPS point and results in increased traceability from farm to farm. first point of purchase; by the end of 2021, nearly 80% of cocoa plots including March Wrigley sources have been mapped.
• Through its suppliers, March Wrigley distributed over 1.9 million new non-cocoa trees in 2021, helping to increase shade and biodiversity and capture carbon.
• Achieving its goal of 100% cocoa without deforestation or conversion will result in an estimated 20% reduction in March Wrigley total greenhouse gas footprint, progress to Mars, Incorporated the broader ambition to achieve a 27% reduction in value chain emissions by 2025 as well as net zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2050.

To learn more about March Wrigley commitments to advancing respect for human rights, creating climate-smart solutions, and providing opportunities to thrive as part of its holistic, people-centered Cocoa for Generations strategy, visit here.

About Mars, Incorporated
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow begins with the way we do business today. This common goal unites our more than 140,000 associates. It’s central to who we are as a global family business, and it fuels how we transform, innovate and evolve to positively impact the world.

Each year, our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food and pet care products and services delight millions and support millions of pets. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s most beloved brands including Ben’s Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN® and WHISKAS® . We’re creating a better world for pets through nutrition, breakthrough programs in diagnostics, wearable health monitoring, DNA testing, pet wellness and comprehensive veterinary care with AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™.

We know that we can only truly succeed if our partners and the communities in which we operate thrive. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a better world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and its pets can thrive.

For more information on Mars, please visitwww.mars.com. Join us on Facebook,Twitter, instagram, LinkedIn andYoutube.

press contact
Denise Young
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