“Sourcemap puts all of this important [raw material] information together and makes it easily accessible. Not only to those who own the files, but also by others, e.g. procurement, corporate affairs, quality assurance teams.”

Luc Beerens shares his perspective on supply chain transparency at Mars Inc.

How are you using Sourcemap?

We are starting by putting our top 10 raw materials in Sourcemap. We have a solid view on where those materials are coming from, but this information is maintained in spreadsheets, local files, so all over the place. Sourcemap puts all of this important information together and makes it easily accessible. Not only to those who own the files, but also by others, e.g. procurement, corporate affairs, quality assurance teams.

We use Sourcemap to visualize the supply chains, the locations of both the tier 1 facilities and the ultimate origin of the raw materials, and the social and environmental risks associated with those locations. Also, we track to what extent we are covering those risks through solid intervention programs. This information is not only visible to us, but also to our suppliers. This is key since they are a crucial partner in building sustainable supply chains.

We will eventually expand its use to other materials, too. 

We use Sourcemap to easily and efficiently collect also other information that is important to us, like their climate commitments, volumes delivered, certifications in place, etc. The list can be endless but we decided to focus on the most critical information first, and gradually build it out.

What justified the Mars investment in supply chain transparency?

Three things justified the Mars investment in a supply chain transparency solution:

Credibility and Trust: we need quick access to this key information to respond in a credible way to our internal and external stakeholders. Consumers and customers to trust our brands since we have full visibility of the ingredients that go into our products and the way they are being farmed and produced, positively impacting people and planet.

Efficiency: efficiently use our resources and those of our suppliers. Instead of mobilizing our teams every year for a few months to gather data, data are maintained by our suppliers and accessible when needed.

Quality: improved insights in the sustainability and quality risks associated with our supply chains and hence improved quality management and protection of our brands and business.

Why is Supply Chain Transparency important?

Transparency is essential in order to understand the impact the materials we buy have on people and planet. E.g.,  illegal deforestation, forced labor practices, water stress, income issues, etc. Since we are selling these materials to consumers we have a key role to play in addressing these issues. Besides that this is the right thing to do, it also makes business sense.  

Addressing the social and environmental issues in our supply chain makes them more resilient against any setback, ensuring continuous supply. And regulations make it a requirement to do so and make it a license to operate.

We also see that people prefer to work for a company that is playing a leading role in sustainability. Making this a prominent part of our company’s strategy and mission engages our associates and attracts top talent.

Addressing sustainability issues enhances our relations with external stakeholders, the image of our brands and consequently our business. It is going to be a driver of growth. And this is the way we like to grow our business.