Food company Mars Belgium is partnering with the Red Cross to deliver food aid to the Horn of Africa

Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, 29 March 2012 - Beginning today, the Belgian rice, which arrived in Kenya’s Port of Mombasa, will be distributed as part of an initiative by Mars Belgium and the Red Cross. Employees of Mars Belgium are seeking to do their part in alleviating the crisis brought about by prolonged famine in the Horn of Africa by donating rice to needy families in Kenya. The first two “Belgian” containers carrying 23.2 tons of rice from Olen - enough for about 150,000 meals - has arrived in the Port of Mombasa. The Kenyan Red Cross is now in charge of the local distribution of the rice. More aid shipments are planned for Africa in the coming months, thanks to an intensive mobilisation of the employees of Mars Belgium and other Mars divisions in Europe, as well as the Belgian suppliers and consumers.

Appreciation, pride and fun is the basis of top score of 96%

Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, 28 February 2012 – At the annual ‘Great Place To Work Awards’ organised by Vlerick Management School, Mars Belgium improved its position and won fourth prize for ‘Best Employees in Belgium’ in the ‘less than 500 employees’ category. No less than 96% of the employees describe Mars Belgium as a great place to work. What is remarkable is that Mars Belgium is one of the few companies in the top 10 that also has a factory in Belgium. Furthermore, the Belgian division of one of the fastest growing food companies obtained exceptionally high scores for pride, appreciation and fun as a precondition for involved and happy employees.

The list of the ‘Best Employers in Belgium’ is drawn up by the Great Place to Work Institute in cooperation with the Vlerick Leuven Ghent Management School. Only companies whose organisation is an example in the field of personnel management are eligible for inclusion in the internationally reputed ranking.

Dogs’ dental problems often ignored by owners

80% of dogs that are over three years old have dental problems. However, 90% of dog owners are unaware of this problem that threatens the wellbeing of their pet. That’s why the UPV, the Professional Union of Veterinarians and Pedigree® join forces once again in order to focus on the importance of good dental hygiene, a correct follow-up and the necessity of visiting the veterinarian once a year. The action starts on the 1st of March and is the kick-off of the Dental Hygiene Month.

At the occasion of World Animal Day, Mars Belgium organizes for the fifth consecutive year a big solidarity action. ‘A heart, a meal’ offers free meals to dogs and cats in the shelters of the ‘Société Royale - La Croix Bleue de Belgique’.
This large-sized action will take place in the shops, when people buy Pedigree® or Whiskas® products, and also on Facebook.

Each year, over 60,000 dogs and cats end up in shelters. This action wants to give some of these animals a treat.

This year, consumers will have until 15 October 2011 to beat the 2010 record (233,159 meals distributed).

On Facebook, celebrities will become the godmother or godfather of a dog of the Croix Bleue for the action ‘A heart, a meal’. In October, famous French-speaking and Flemish celebrities will take part in the action and become the godfather or godmother of a Croix Bleue dog on the page www.facebook.com/PedigreeBelgium. They will ask animal friends to collect as many meals as possible for the shelters.

Become a fan of this page on Facebook and increase the number of offered meals in just a few clicks.

Mars launches the UTZ certified Balisto® and confirms its pioneering role in the sustainable production of cocoa.

Mars Belgium announces that its Balisto® chocolate bar will now be produced with sustainable UTZ-certified cocoa. The UTZ CERTIFIED label on the packaging of the four varieties of Balisto® available on the Belgian market is the guarantee that the production of the Mars chocolate bars only involves cocoa that has been produced in socially, economically and ecologically responsible circumstances. This makes Balisto® the first branded chocolate bar in Belgium that uses sustainable cocoa with the UTZ-certification.

Mars, pioneer in sustainable cocoa farming
The introduction of the UTZ-certified Balisto® is an important step in the commitment of Mars to use 100% sustainable cocoa in its worldwide production of chocolate products by 2020. Up till now, Mars is the first and only large company in the chocolate industry to have made this commitment.

“The UTZ-certification of Balisto® is in line with our objective to guarantee the responsible production, supply and development of cocoa that respects both man and environment. All Mars companies in the world have committed that by 2020, they will buy a yearly amount of 100,000 tonnes of cocoa that has received the certification of the UTZ and the Rainforest Alliance”, emphasizes Philippe Henry de Frahan, General Manager of Mars Belgium. 

For more than thirty years, Mars has invested each year in programmes around the world aimed at promoting scientific innovations in the cocoa industry, at transferring key technologies to the cocoa farmers, and at applying the strictest certifications. Each programme translates the motto of Mars: ‘Farmers First’. Farmers who have had good training contribute to a stronger agrarian economy thanks to their higher income. As a result, they guarantee a sustainable supply of high-quality cocoa.