Mars Petcare 81% toward its sustainable fish sourcing goal

Mars Petcare announced progress towards a longstanding goal to sustainably source 100% of the fish used in some pet food recipes. 

The company now sources 81% of fish used from more sustainable sources aligned to Mars’ guidelines. The company also confirmed it sources no endangered fish species.
 

Sustainable fishing

The goal is part of Mars, Incorporated’s Sustainable in a Generation plan which aims to integrate sustainability into the heart of business and bring sustainable choices to pet owners around the world.   

In partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Mars Petcare set an ambitious target in 2010 to seek 100% sustainable sources of fish. 

Progress toward the goal is highlighted in a new joint report from WWF and Mars Petcare, detailing work over the past decade to innovate and scale approaches to more sustainable fish sourcing. 

WWF and Mars Petcare have renewed their global partnership until 2025 to advance Mars sourcing goals and to positively influence progress toward sustainability in the fishing sector more broadly.
 

The supply chain

Mars Petcare will regularly evaluate:

• Where it sources its fish
• The types of fish used
• Practices across its supply chain, aiming to minimize competition with the human food supply chain 
• Help to ensure that products can be both nutritious for pets and better for the world’s oceans.

The company is also working with certifying organizations, standard setters and fish experts at the Marine Stewardship Council, Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch and Aquaculture Stewardship Council on sustainable fish buying practices. 

In addition, Mars Petcare will collaborate with businesses and governments, to drive change across the industry to help protect vulnerable ecosystems and drive responsible practices.

“We are delighted to continue our decade-long partnership with Mars Petcare”, said Caroline Tippett, Senior Director of Seafood Markets at World Wildlife Fund. “They continue to be an industry leader working to ensure more sustainable seafood sourcing across their global operations.”

“As we prepare for a future of more than 10 billion people and more pets, sustainable business practice which is led by science and cares about the planet and our oceans is essential", said Professor David Smith, Chief Marine Scientist at Mars, Incorporated. “When we cemented the partnership with WWF over a decade ago, we were deeply aware that many fisheries around the world were on the verge of collapse and that several fish species were critically endangered and threatened by extinction."

Mars Petcare will continue to work toward its commitment to source 100% of fish from sustainable sources, continue to ensure that it does not source endangered fish species according to the IUCN Red List, and take action to help strengthen protections for people in its fish value chain.