There’s no better time to support our equal environment for all women at Mars than on International Women’s Day (March 8). We are proud to support its official theme for 2020, #EachForEqual. We know that actively challenging gender bias today advances gender equality and makes a better world tomorrow. 

Across Mars, our many sites and communities in which we operate, here’s what our leaders and Associates have to say.

On gender equity

“Gender equity in the workplace isn’t a women’s issue – it’s a business issue. This International Women’s Day, and every day, we celebrate the contributions and achievements of women,” our CEO Grant F. Reid said. “We also recognize that collective action is needed to close the gender gap across business as a whole. Driving toward an inclusive work environment where women and men can thrive is a business necessity, and a responsibility that should be shared by all.”

On leadership from our science labs to our factories

“Mars has given me the support to learn and grow,” President of Mars Global Services Angela Mangiapane said. “I take immense pride to be part of a company committed to advancing gender diversity and equality at every level of the business.”

On the diversity of thought and perspective that helps us deliver the products and services consumers love

“Our teams in Shanghai and New York have been intentionally founded and led by women,” said Matthew Keylock, senior vice president, data and analytics at Kinship, which is a division of Mars Petcare. “The diversity in our team is a topic I feel proud talking about, and I will always appreciate the true value of an inclusive work environment.”  

Monica Jain, strategic demand director for Mars Wrigley in Global Emerging Markets, finds Mars to be a place where Associates foster a supportive environment. She credits the company’s launch of the region’s Mentorship Program in 2018 as a strong step to help address and redefine how women receive support on their leadership journey.

“It’s not enough for our leaders to just believe in inclusion and diversity,” Jain said. “We need to live it every day. Our culture champions teams to incorporate user centricity, design thinking, data and analytics, artificial intelligence and automation to allow experimentation with new ideas at pace, work in agile ways, find tangible solutions and ultimately make better business decisions."

“Those differences between men and women in technology can be invaluable for innovation, problem-solving, insight and creativity,” Song said. “At Mars, we have a long history of empowering women to achieve more and reach their full potential, and this is certainly what I have found as a female leader.”