Mars introduces purpose measurement to brand scores and bonuses
Mars has introduced purpose measurement with its senior leaders bonused against the delivery of its purpose and sustainability initiatives.
Sheba 'Hope Grows' coral regrowth project aims to restore more than 185,000 square meters of reef
Alongside financial performance and future growth the confectionery and pet care behemoth now measures its “positive impact on people, their pets, and the planet” and whether it has met its corporate commitments.
Referred to as the Mars Compass, all brands are guided by this measurement system, which incorporates brand score reporting.
Mars lead chief marketing officer, Jane Wakely, told The Drum measuring impact on purpose is “incredibly tough” due to a lack of measurement infrastructure.
Developing measurement tools for purpose is now a key priority for Mars. So far, the brand has partnered with Oxford University’s Economics of Mutuality Lab to design an impact measurement system. For example, the system would show how successful a dog adoption campaign from pet food Pedigree was and measure the effectiveness of rehoming dogs.
Internally Mars Petcare has developed the global ‘state pet homeless index’ to measure to understand the scale of pet homelessness around the world. “This is the sort of infrastructure you need to put in if you are going to measure making a difference of scale,” Wakely says.
The removal of on-screen stereotypes is another area Mars management is measured on, for this Mars has its content audited annually by the Geena Davis Institute. Examples of where Mars has counted positive impact is the closing of the gap between male and female representation in the kitchen which in 2018 was five times more likely to be a female.
On its sustainability pledges, management is rewarded for meeting commitments such as Royal Canin’s carbon neutral by 2025 pledge; Mars bars in the UK, Canada, and Ireland will be carbon neutral by 2023; and Sheba’s coral reef regrow project will restore more than 185,000 square meters of coral reef by 2029.
“Consumers are expecting ever more transparency and ever more performance from brands in terms of matching their values,” Wakely added.