Mars launches $250 million sustainability solutions fund

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on ESG Today or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Mars has launched the Mars Sustainability Investment Fund (MSIF), a $250 million initiative to support companies developing solutions to sustainability challenges across Mars’ value chain
• The fund will invest directly and via other funds, with focus areas including low-emissions agriculture, healthier ingredients, and circular packaging
• The launch coincides with Mars’ latest sustainability report, showing a 16.4% emissions reduction since 2015 and reiterating its target to halve emissions by 2030

🔭 The context: The global food industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonise and reduce its environmental footprint, particularly in agriculture, deforestation, and plastic packaging
• Mars has been among the corporations embedding climate action into core business planning, aligning executive incentives, investment strategy, and supply chain partnerships
• In 2023, the company set a science-based goal to cut value chain emissions 50% by 2030, and is now expanding the number of executives with emissions-linked pay to 2,000

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The MSIF channels significant private capital into technologies and business models essential to sustainable food systems
• Supporting regenerative farming practices, alternative raw materials, and recyclable or compostable packaging can accelerate the transition toward a lower-emissions and more circular economy
• Embedding climate performance into governance and incentives further strengthens corporate accountability and signals a long-term commitment to systemic change 

⏭️ What’s next: Mars will begin allocating MSIF capital across its three priority areas, seeking solutions that can scale and deliver measurable results
• Internally, the company aims to drive greater supply chain transparency, accelerate renewable energy adoption, and phase out deforestation-linked sourcing
• Stakeholders will be monitoring how effectively Mars translates investments and commitments into substantial, lasting reductions in climate and environmental impacts by 2030

💬 One quote: “In order to deliver progress now, societal impact goals have to be built into business decision making … only large-scale change will deliver on our collective goals.” — Alastair Child, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars

📈 One stat: Mars has achieved a 16.4% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across its full value chain since 2015, moving toward its 50% cut target by 2030

Click for more news covering the latest on corporate sustainability and sustainable finance