By Poul Weihrauch, Global President Mars Petcare

Pets make our world better. It’s a simple statement, but one that underpins why we exist. Anyone lucky enough to have a pet instinctively knows this to be true. But the scientific evidence is compelling. Pets make us healthier, fitter, happier. Studies show pets help children learn, ease loneliness, make societies safer and so much more. Through our Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Mars Petcare has funded nearly 100 studies with world-leading experts to understand the role pets play in our lives. And it’s an incredibly powerful role. It’s at the heart of why we, about 100,000 pet-loving Associates in almost 130 countries, live our Purpose every day: A Better World for Pets.

Our first-ever Purpose report is a way for us to share how we bring our Purpose to life. But it’s really an ode to our Associates. It’s their motivation, their dedication and their care that enable us to deliver on our commitment to pets every day.

Never is a Purpose put to the test more than in times of crisis, and that’s been true for us at Mars Petcare. Our people are at the heart of this story and we can’t live our Purpose without dedicated, safe and supported Associates. That’s why our number one priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been to keep our Associates safe. By adapting quickly to ensure our factories and veterinary hospitals, clinics and labs could operate safely, we were able to continue to provide nutrition and care to the millions of pets around the world who rely on us every day.

In these pages, you’ll see how, through the compassionate care of our 70,000 global Mars Veterinary Health Associates, we’re driving medical advances and improving pet health outcomes. You’ll learn about how we’re using data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop breakthroughs in diagnostics and leveraging decades of scientific expertise to continually advance and tailor nutrition for pets. You’ll also notice we’re working to embed sustainability into everything we do. We’re taking bold actions for a sustainable future, innovating with the health and wellbeing of pets, people, and planet in mind.

And we don’t just think about the pets lucky enough to have caring owners and homes. Our Purpose — A Better World for Pets — is for all pets, not just the ones we serve. Sadly, millions of pets still don’t have a loving home or the care they need to thrive, which is why we’re collaborating with a coalition of global experts to create a first-of-its-kind index to measure and address the key drivers of pet homelessness around the world. We’re also using our voice to advocate for more pet-friendly policies and cities, increasing access to veterinary care for millions, and helping remove barriers to pet ownership across the world.

This is just the first volume of our story, and we look forward to continuing to share our progress. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and committed to how much there still is to do. I hope you enjoy the story so far!

Read all about the people and pets at the heart of our story in our Purpose Report.