Mars Canada’s ‘Five Principles’ make work life sweeter

Onajite Olusakin says Mars Canada is the first place she has worked where they don’t use the word “employees.”

“We say ‘associates.’ When you say associates, it gives you the sense of business associates. So, it’s not top down. It’s about shared value. You are giving value and we are also giving you value. That is part of the principle of mutuality. It informs culture at Mars and how associates are treated with respect,” says Olusakin, internal communications manager.

“As an associate, I feel empowered. I feel free to do my job and be as creative as I want, because the Five Principles exist and because I know that the leaders embody and exemplify the Five Principles.”

The company’s five fundamental values that Olusakin is referring to are quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency and freedom. The Mars family created the Five Principles in 1983 as the core of the company’s culture and a reflection of how it does business.

Ellen Thompson, general manager of Mars Wrigley Canada, says the principles have never changed, but have been updated in 1993, 2003 and 2023. Updates reflect changes in the business and evolving customer expectations, for example, in areas such as sustainability and inclusiveness.

Based in Bolton, Ont., Mars Canada is known for such brands as Mars bars, M&M’s, Excel gum, Pedigree pet food and Ben’s Original. It also has operations in Newmarket, Ont., and Guelph, Ont.

Thompson says the Five Principles provide a compass that leaders and associates use in decision-making and serve as a connector for associates. “For new associates, it’s a way to understand our business and to understand the culture at Mars,” she says. “It is a commonality that ties them to other associates throughout the organization, whether it’s here in Canada or in countries around the world. It is a unifying element that creates a sense of belonging right off the bat.”

Olusakin was involved in bringing the latest iteration of the Five Principles to life through presentations, newsletters, emails, posters and online resources. She says her job is very much about advancing the principles every day through creating special moments for associates.

These include headliners, which are monthly mini town halls, as well as huddles, where business segments discuss business results and celebrate achievements. At quarterly town halls, all segments meet to discuss collaboration opportunities, results and achievements. Pop-up celebrations happen often to recognize sales achievements — complete with cake and confetti or balloons.

Olusakin is proud to work for a company that puts a deliberate effort into creating moments for associates. “I help create the moments that make associates say, ‘This is a great company to work for,’” she says. “It makes me proud that the company is so invested in making sure those moments happen for associates.

“Culture doesn't come out of thin air. It comes out of the messaging and the behaviours that the company holds dear and the principles that the company wants to live by.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 17, 2023 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Mars Canada is working today for a sweeter tomorrow

Barbara Cooper says Mars Canada associates are driven by a belief – the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. “That gives us permission to be bold and aspirational. We are trying to reimagine what it means to have a meaningful impact in the world,” says Cooper, marketing director, Mars Wrigley Canada. “With the brands I represent, like M&M’s, Skittles and Snickers, we deliver incredibly delicious products. But we need to be more than that.

“These brands are some of the most loved in the world and so we have the opportunity to make a difference and stand for something bigger.”

This includes a commitment to sustainability – for example, working toward 100-per-cent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025 and investing in sustainable agriculture projects aimed at improving farmer incomes, enhancing food security and restoring ecosystems. It also involves brand campaigns with a purpose.

In 2023, with the launch of the new M&M’s spokescandy, Purple, the company released a limited-edition package of only female M&M’s – Purple, Green and Brown. The campaign, Flipping the Status Quo, also involved ads featuring content creators from the United States and Canada who were breaking barriers and redefining success and happiness. The company pledged $1 per sale of the packs, up to $75,000, to help fund Canadian Women’s Foundation economic development grants, which support programs that aid women and gender diverse people in moving out of poverty through skills training and mentorship.

“These are the things that inspire associates and make them want to come to work in the morning,” Cooper says. “They believe in the products we’re selling. And when they stand for something deeper, we have an emotional connection to the brands we’re selling. That’s what people love about working at Mars. And that’s why I’m still here after seven years.”

Jassica Chouhan, senior brand manager, Ben’s Original, agrees about the value of working for a purpose-led company. “It gives you the confidence that the work you’re doing is not just limited to your 9-to-5 and to driving financial objectives,” she says. “It really is so much more than that. I feel that I get to also fulfil my personal purpose of wanting to create a better tomorrow.”

Chouhan feels pride in being part of the Ben’s Original Seat at the Table program, which aims to create opportunities for students who are Black, Indigenous and persons of colour to pursue a culinary education and careers in the food industry. The brand partners with four culinary colleges across Canada to provide scholarships to help cover tuition, books, equipment and other expenses. Since 2022, the program has awarded 20 scholarships and will be awarding 20 more over the next academic year.

Another program that inspires pride in Mars Canada associates is SHEBA Hope Grows, which has invested more than $10 million in reef restoration over the last decade and is working to restore the equivalent of 148 Olympic-sized pools of coral reefs by the end of 2029. When SHEBA Bistro cat food launched in Canada, the team created an immersive multi-sensory exhibit in Toronto, which took visitors below the ocean with an underwater simulation.

“At Mars we don’t have to choose between profit or purpose – we're encouraged to embrace both,” says Animesh Kumar, marketing director for Mars Pet Nutrition, Canada. “This approach is what inspires us to think creatively and find sustainable solutions for our shared communities and the environment. I love working at a company that motivates their associates to think big, think long term, make a difference, and make a better world for pets and the people who love them.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Greater Toronto’s Top Employers winners, published December 5, 2023 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.