Major sustainable energy drive pays off for Mars Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated has confirmed that all its US operations are now powered completely by renewable energy, as it releases its latest Sustainable in a Generation report, writes Neill Barston.
As Confectionery Production has previously reported, the US confectionery giant has placed environmental, as well as social welfare performance high on its agenda, setting targets for meeting net zero commitments during the next two decades.
According to the business, its latest energy results that are linked to its broader operational decarbonisation efforts, this progress contributed to a 42.6% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions against a 2015 baseline.
Mars has engaged with a wide range of eco-friendly energy production initiatives in the US and around the world. Pic: Mars
It also helped deliver a 6.4% reduction in GHG emissions across its full value chain in 2025, bringing the company’s cumulative absolute emissions reduction to 16.9% against a 2015 baseline while growing the business by approximately 75%.
Poul Weihrauch, Mars CEO, said: “Reaching a milestone of 100% renewable electricity in our direct U.S. operations – from factories to offices, from veterinary hospitals to diagnostic labs – it’s something to celebrate and be proud of. Building a resilient business includes access to clean and accessible energy, farmers that are not at the mercy of extreme weather events and communities that thrive across our full value chain. Our priority is to continue our efforts to generate good jobs, support our Associates and communities, and continuing to work towards a more resilient and sustainable future for all.”
Notably, as the company stated, it is driving energy security with its Renewables Acceleration (RAcc) program, an innovative strategy launched in 2025 designed to extend renewable electricity beyond its direct operations and into its broader value chains. By 2030, this effort could reduce emissions by around 3 Mt, or roughly 10% of the company’s footprint in 2025.
The latest U.S. RAcc contract with Enel North America to support three new solar projects in Texas is expected to generate approximately 1.80 TWh of renewable electricity annually, supporting both Mars operations and its suppliers. In addition to investments to reduce and convert energy consumption, Mars has wind and solar projects that generate Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) equivalent to the amount of electricity used in the company’s direct operations in the U.S.
In 2025, Mars continued to expand its climate-smart agriculture projects globally, growing its portfolio of approximately 77 projects across 26 countries and 12 crops. Key examples include:
Protect the Peanut: Mars invested approximately $5.2M over five years in crop resilience to develop drought- and disease-resistant peanut varieties and support farmers adapting to unpredictable weather events.
In addition, Mars, PepsiCo, and ADM partnered to launch a regenerative agriculture program in Poland, supporting 24 farmers in adopting more sustainable practices across more than 5,450 hectares.
Alastair Child, Mars Chief Sustainability Officer, commented: “The hard work of our Associates and partners in 2025 demonstrates how sustainability sits at the center of how we plan, invest and operate. Delivering impact at scale requires collaboration across industries, suppliers, governments, NGOs and local communities, and we remain focused on turning ambition into measurable progress across our value chain.”
