Mars Incorporated announced that Alastair Child will step into the role of Chief Sustainability Officer effective February 3, 2025. Alastair, currently Vice President of Global Sustainability for Mars Snacking, will spearhead the company’s efforts to drive sustainability across its global operations.

In his new role, Alastair will lead the implementation of Mars’ ambitious sustainability strategy, including its journey to achieve Net Zero emissions as part of the Sustainable in a Generation Plan. Mars is committed to cutting its full value chain emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching Net Zero by 2050.

The company has already delivered a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain as of 2023, measured against a 2015 baseline. Alastair will oversee a team of 30 experts specialising in key sustainability areas such as climate, community impact, coral restoration, sustainable packaging, and analytics. He will report to Andy Pharoah, Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability and a member of the Mars Leadership Team.

Alastair brings over 23 years of experience and a reputation for delivering meaningful sustainability outcomes. Over the past seven years, he has been instrumental at Mars Snacking, integrating sustainability into business operations. During his tenure, the company achieved critical milestones, including establishing deforestation-free supply chains for palm oil and pulp & paper, doubling incomes for mint farmers in India, advancing sustainable packaging with innovations like paper-based wrappers, and launching the Moo’ving Dairy Forward program to reduce emissions.

Andy Pharoah, VP Corporate Affairs & Sustainability and member of the Mars Leadership Team said: “Alastair has established himself as a strong, well-respected leader. He brings a wealth of experience to the role and will play a key part in ensuring sustainability is integrated into every aspect of our business to help us build the world we want tomorrow.”

Alastair Child, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars, Incorporated, said: “It’s an honor to take on this role. With average global temperatures exceeding 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels for the first time in 2024, it is imperative that we continue to perform on our promises and in doing so prove that sustainability is good for business. I look forward to collaborating with our partners, Associates and stakeholders to ensure we continue to grow responsibly.”

This leadership change coincides with the retirement of Barry Parkin, Mars’ Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer. Barry has had a distinguished 40-year career at Mars, where he played a key role in shaping the Sustainable in a Generation Plan and the company’s Net Zero Roadmap. Since joining Mars in 1985, Barry has held a variety of roles across Commercial, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Human Resources. He will retire in March 2025 to embark on new adventures, including sailing.