Mars appoints new sustainability leader amid climate targets
Sustainable food production strategy at Mars Incorporated is set for a significant shift with the appointment of Alastair Child as Chief Sustainability Officer. The appointment comes at a crucial juncture as global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above preindustrial levels in 2024, highlighting the urgency for food manufacturers to accelerate their environmental initiatives.
Supply chain innovations yield measurable results
Mars Incorporated has reported a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain against its 2015 baseline, demonstrating quantifiable progress in its sustainability metrics. The company’s comprehensive approach encompasses agricultural sourcing, manufacturing processes, and packaging innovations.
Technical leadership expansion
Alastair Child, currently Vice President of Global Sustainability for Mars Snacking, will assume his new role on 3 February 2025. Child will oversee a specialist team of 30 sustainability experts focusing on climate science, community engagement, packaging technology, and data analytics. He will report directly to Andy Pharoah, VP Corporate Affairs & Sustainability.
During his tenure at Mars Snacking, Child implemented significant technical improvements in sustainable sourcing protocols, particularly in palm oil and pulp & paper supply chains. Notable achievements include the development of income-doubling programmes for mint farmers in northern India and the successful implementation of paper-based packaging alternatives for confectionery products.
The company’s dairy sustainability initiative, known as Moo’ving Dairy Forward, has contributed to decoupling greenhouse gas emissions from production growth, representing a significant advancement in sustainable food manufacturing processes.
“With average global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above preindustrial levels for the first time in 2024, it is imperative that we continue to perform on our promises and in doing so prove that sustainability is good for business,” Child said, emphasising the scientific basis for accelerated action.
The appointment follows the announced retirement of Barry Parkin, the outgoing Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, who has served the company for four decades. Parkin’s tenure saw the development of the Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan and the company’s Net Zero Roadmap, which established the framework for halving full value chain emissions by 2030.
