Mars Petcare continues to make progress towards sourcing more sustainable seafood. Traceability plays a key role in this commitment and the company has partnered with WWF in shifting towards compliance to the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) as part of increasing seafood transparency and harmonization of different traceability standards.
Paul Gardner, Chief Procurement Officer, Mars Petcare, said “We’re proud that our procurement teams are sourcing more sustainably sourced fish – this work delivers on our commitments and benefits the planet and its pets. We will continue to strengthen our efforts and invest in sustainable fisheries together with our partner WWF in the years to come.”
Mars Petcare does not source endangered fish species, as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. All the materials and raw ingredients that we and our suppliers use must meet our own strict global internal quality and safety requirements.
Michael Griff, Director for Ocean Markets at World Wildlife Fund, said: “Mars has been instrumental in the seafood sustainability movement as one of the first WWF partners to commit to more sustainable and responsible pet food supply chain. We are thrilled to see the progress Mars Petcare has achieved in its journey to ensure better sourcing practices across its global operations. We will continue to work together to reduce pressure on our oceans and preserve its resources for resilient ecosystems and prosperous coastal communities”
Mars Petcare, with technical support from WWF and fisheries experts, continually revises its fish sourcing guidelines aligned to international standards and consistently drives for positive environmental and human rights practices in its fish supply chains.
Beyond improving its own supply chain, Mars Petcare has been working closely with WWF to fund the financing of fisheries improvement globally. Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) bring together multiple stakeholders in the supply chain to address environmental challenges. FIPs work to make fisheries more sustainable by implementing action plans to improve fishing practices and management.
In 2022, Mars partnered with WWF to address the overexploitation of the world’s fisheries and work to tackle the challenges associated with traditional funding for fisheries improvement. Through this innovative blue finance initiative, Mars is supporting WWF to ideate new models to provide a consistent source of funds for large-scale, long-term financing for global fisheries reform.
Caroline Tippett, Vice President for Ocean Markets and Finance at World Wildlife Fund, said, “Mars is showcasing further industry-wide leadership in the seafood sustainability realm by supporting the ideation of innovative blue economy financial models that are needed to scale fisheries improvement worldwide. Through this partnership we are working to develop innovative financing mechanisms that will attract investors from the public and private sectors to scale global fisheries improvement. This shows a genuine commitment from Mars to reach its global commitment to more sustainable seafood sourcing and healthier oceans for generations to come.”
Paul Gardner, Chief Procurement Officer, Mars Petcare, said “”As a purpose driven business, we chose to be a part of the solution, and that’s why we are proud to partner with WWF to help ensure the world’s fisheries are protected and fish are sustainably sourced.”
