Mars ups its sustainability creds with reef program
A new documentary exploring coral reef restoration efforts has shone a light on a major sustainability program by one of the world's largest food company's, Mars.
The Reef Builders documentary, which is available on Amazon Prime, highlights a global coral reef restoration initiative, which is active in 12 countries, including Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Mars has invested more than USD$10m in the initiative since 2020 as part of the company's 'ongoing commitment' to sustainability. It has been led by Mars cat-food brand Dine, which is known as Sheba internationally, in a bid to 'ensure a more plentiful fish population' for people and cats around the world.
The documentary tells the story of the Mars Sustainable Solutions initiative, which began on Indonesia's Hope Reef after a period of coral bleaching. Mars worked with marine biologists to pioneer a trial program of its Reef Stars technology, collections of hexagonal steel structures coated with sand and tied to reef structures that provide coral a stable place to grow.
The initiative has since grown to sites across 12 countries with more than 70 partner organisations and 87,000 reef stars around the world, according to Mars Sustainable Solutions global operations manager Alicia McArdle.
'What sets [the initiative] apart is that because we're part of the business, we have that strength of being part of Mars, and we can also utilise some of the brands that are within Mars to be able to support our projects as well. So by having donations on packs and that kind of thing, it gives us direct funds to be able to support restoration actions on the ground with our partners.'
McArdle, a marine biologist, joined the initiative in 2019 and brought the technology to Australia to begin work on the first site on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Mars initiative aims to ensure a more plentiful fish population for people and planet ... and cats.
The initiative works with traditional owners and indigenous communities, in addition to reef authorities, researchers and tourism operators to ensure the ecosystems surrounding the sites are able to support and maintain the recovered sites.
The project is part of the Mars business' ongoing commitment to sustainability and sustainable solutions across its entire product portfolio. Earlier this year, Mars launched a trial of fully recyclable paper-based packaging for its iconic Masterfoods' Squeeze On Tomato Sauce packs. The move, which will save 190 tonnes of plastic a year, is part of the brand's commitment to creating a circular economy. It also follows the launch of paper-based packaging for the company's confectionery brands including Mars, Snickers and Milky Way Chocolate Bars.
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