New philanthropic entity amplifies Mars commitment to community resilience, scientific opportunity, and companion animal wellbeing

An $85 million allocation committed from 2025 to 2027, with annual funding of $50 million from 2028.
Initial grants support community resilience in Indonesia through Save the Children and expanded veterinary care in India and Mexico through Humane World for Animals.

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars, Incorporated, a global leader in snacking, pet care, and food, today announced the launch of the Mars Impact Fund, a new enterprise-level philanthropic entity designed to accelerate meaningful and lasting impact in the communities where Mars operates.

As a family-owned, principle-driven company, Mars has long believed that business should be a force for good. Building on this legacy, the Mars Impact Fund is designed to complement existing sustainability efforts and foundation activities with strategic, long-term investments. The Mars Impact Fund will contribute $85 million between 2025 and 2027. From 2028 onward, the company expects to distribute at least $50 million annually in additional philanthropic capital.

"The Mars Impact Fund builds on decades of partnership and investment in the communities where we operate, strengthening and scaling the work already underway. It is designed to complement our broader impact agenda to benefit people, pets, and the planet and help us deepen relationships with organizations working to create lasting impact," said Andy Pharoah, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.

The Mars Impact Fund will focus on three priorities aligned with the company's business and values:

Boost Sourcing Community Resiliency: Supporting farm families and communities to improve livelihoods, wellbeing, and resilience.
Grow and Diversify the Pipeline of Scientists: Expanding opportunities for scientists, especially in food, agriculture, and pet care.
Improve Companion Animal Wellbeing: Increasing access to veterinary care and support for pets in under-resourced homes and communities.

Additionally, the Fund will lead the company's response to large-scale disasters affecting its businesses, Associates, and communities, enabling swift and effective aid.

"Change starts with listening, learning and working alongside the communities we serve. Through the Mars Impact Fund, we're partnering with organizations that bring deep expertise and local insight so that, together, we can expand opportunity, strengthen resilience, and improve lives for people and pets around the world," said Michelle Grogg, Executive Director, Mars Impact Fund.

The Fund has selected Save the Children and Humane World for Animals among initial grant recipients. The Fund approved a three-year, $3 million grant to Save the Children to help expand Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and strengthen community resilience programs in cocoa-growing areas of Indonesia. It also approved a $726,000 grant to Humane World for Animals to expand equitable access to veterinary care and training in select communities in India and Mexico. This grant signifies the beginning of a multi-year partnership.

"We're grateful for our long-standing partnership with Mars, grounded in our shared commitment to children and communities," said Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of Save the Children US. "As we enter this next phase of our collaboration in Indonesia, the Mars Impact Fund will help us reach 115 villages over the next three years. Together, we're supporting families to build financial stability, strengthen child protection systems, and advance community-led resilience across cocoa growing areas--delivering lasting change for women, children, and families."

These grants reflect the Fund's commitment to working alongside trusted partners to deliver tangible impact in communities around the world.

"What excites me about our partnership with Mars is that together we're removing one of the biggest barriers to better health and welfare outcomes for companion animals: access to quality veterinary care," said Kitty Block, President and CEO of Humane World for Animals. "Our programs reaching street dogs and pets in underserved communities are doing more than just improving the lives of animals, too. They're creating lasting solutions for healthier and safer communities around the world."

For more information about the Mars Impact Fund, please visit: https://www.mars.com/about/mars-impact-fund

About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, Pringles®, Cheez-It®, and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles -- Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom -- inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

Save The Children
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.

Humane World for Animals
Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals--formerly called the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International--addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world.
Global Animal Welfare Org | Humane World for Animals

Contact: Kelly Frailey, kelly.frailey@effem.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2920774/Mars_Impact_Fund_Article_Hero_Lightened.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599394/Mars_Wordmark_RGB_Blue_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mars-launches-mars-impact-fund-to-drive-lasting-change-for-people-pets-and-planet-302697724.html

Images

Tags

More Like This

Mars Impact Fund Awards More Than $13M in New Grants to Advance Community Resilience, Science Pipelines and Companion Animal Wellbeing

Clearing the Path: Mars Launches Pet Adoption Resource Hub, as New Research Reveals What Holds Adopters Back

Mars Veterinary Health Underscores Long-Term Commitment to Research & Innovation in Groundbreaking Science Impact Report

Mars launches landmark global study program on pets' contribution to human wellbeing

Mars Impact Fund commits $1M to World Central Kitchen to support earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela

With Just 40% of Urban Pet Parents Calling Their Neighborhoods Pet-Friendly, Mars Expands BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ to Help People and Pets Thrive

1 in 3 pets are homeless according to new global report - research shines a light on challenges facing pets today

Mars Veterinary Health Publishes Inaugural Environmental Sustainability Update