The Mars Wrigley International Travel Retail (ITR) team has taken a hands-on approach to problems associated with plastic waste in an organised clean-up of Noordwijk beach in the Netherlands.
The clean-up effort was part of the Mars Volunteering Programme which encourages people to dedicate some of their working time to improve communities and the environment. This year’s project aimed to rid the coastline of the “ever-growing scourge of unwanted and unpopular plastic waste”.

Team members donned gloves and took up buckets and picking tools to spend two hours cleaning the shoreline. They removed several buckets of plastic rubbish from the popular beach in the Netherlands, where the company recently held its Global Associates Meeting.
The activity was preceded by a learning workshop – delivered by a Mars Wrigley packaging innovation expert – about the issues and dangers of plastic waste.
“At every opportunity businesses should be considering how they positively impact people, society and the planet.”
Mars Wrigley is working towards 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. The company said it is collaborating with NGOs, governments, campaign groups and the wider industry to promote litter education and changes in behaviour.

Mars Wrigley ITR General Manager Gary Clarke commented: “The Mars Volunteer Programme encourages our people to dedicate some of their working time to help improve communities and, because packaging waste is a topic close to the hearts of our people, this year we chose to help clean a beach.
“At every opportunity businesses should be considering how they positively impact people, society and the planet. Every little action really does help and at Mars Wrigley we recognise that we have an opportunity – and responsibility – to act now.”