Mars Receives Ray Anderson Radical Industrialism Award At USGBC’S 2014 Leadership Awards

The Awards recognize individuals and groups at the forefront of sustainability in the “built” environment
Nov 8, 2014 9:20 AM ET

Washington, D.C., November 8, 2014 /3BL Media/ — Mars, Incorporated has been presented with the Ray Anderson Radical Industrialism Award, at the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) 2014 Leadership Awards Luncheon on Thursday. The awards set out to celebrate individuals and groups at the forefront of sustainability in the “built” environment who are committed to advancing the industry.

The award sponsored by Ray C. Anderson Foundation is in memory of the legendary leader of Interface, Inc. who was a pioneer of corporate sustainability and influential around LEED green building certification. Ray visited the Mars McLean global office in the early days of its sustainability program, and the work from Interface helped shape Mars’ innovative approach.

Mars received special recognition for its Sustainable in a Generation (SiG) commitment to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions from its direct operations by 2040 and how it influences how it builds, designs and manages its operations. This effort also underscores Mars’ commitment for all new buildings to achieve LEED gold certification or higher.

Since 2011, Mars, has aimed to achieve LEED Gold certification for all new major buildings globally with nearly 10 sites/factories that include:

  • Mars Chocolate North America Headquarters in Hackettstown, NJ (HKT)
  • Mars Chocolate North America plant in Topeka, Kansas (TOP)
  • Mars Global Petcare Innovation Center in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee (GIC)
  • Mars Petcare North America Factory in Fort Smith, Arkansas (ARK)
  • Mars Chocolate China Factory in Jiaxing (JXG)
  • Mars Chocolate Factory in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (KEC)
  • Wrigley Yonghe Factory (YNG)
  • Wrigley Guangzhou Office

Other sites/factories achieving LEED Silver certification include:

M&M’S World London

Mars Petcare Russia factory in Ulyanovsk

Wrigley’s Engineering Technical Center in Chicago

Wrigley Hong Kong Office

Wrigley Taipei, Taiwan Office (certified)

“As the green building movement continues to grow throughout the world, it is even more important to recognize the leaders who set the bar for others and who are always pushing the envelope toward a sustainable future,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “We are proud to recognize our Leadership Award recipients for their commitment to our mission and to their contributions to advancing our industry.”

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars’ first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a “mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders” – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints. Food –UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA® and WISDOM PANEL®.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars