Mars Inc.

Virginia
Food Beverage and Tobacco

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Mars Inc. has not terminated business relationships due to religious or political views, though it does vet suppliers according to its LGBTQ policies. The company does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. Mars has lobbied to support the Equality Act, and a senior executive at Mars has issued an op-ed opposing a minimum age for gender transition surgeries. Mars has donated to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), a partisan LGBTQ advocacy organization. For these reasons, Mars receives a "Medium Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars maintains a “supplier code of conduct,” which prohibits suppliers from discrimination based on personal characteristics such as gender or sexual orientation (1). Mars received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. (2).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars’ foundation, The Mars Wrigley Foundation, is focused on oral healthcare and environmental protection. The company does not discriminate against faith-based charities (1).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars has signed open letters opposing “bathroom bills” (1). A Mars senior executive co-authored an op-ed opposing a minimum age for gender transition surgeries (2). The op-ed claimed that companies must use their corporate power to oppose such legislation. The company supports the Equality Act and opposes bans on transgender athletes in female sports (3)(4). Mars also opposed Florida’s law that prevents public schools from teaching young kids about gender and sexuality (5). Mars’ Twitter account also criticized then-President Trump’s views on immigration (6). M&M, a Mars brand, released a new “female-only” wrapper featuring only “female” M&M characters including new lesbian M&Ms and a “plus-size” character to represent body positivity (7).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars has funded GLAAD and other LGBTQ advocacy groups (1). It has not funded other ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression.

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
Rationale

Mars lobbied for the Equality Act (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 24, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

Generate Reports
Clear
Toast