Key facts
- In just three years the multinational of snacks and petcare has moved from the 32nd to the 8th position in the list of the best places to work in Italy.
- The painstaking in-house communication activity, the worklife balance schemes, and the social responsibility initiatives have provided a crucial input to this great achievement.
- Mars University is a truly virtual learning space where employees can develop their skills.
Milan, December 12, 2008 – Mars Italia, the Italian associated company of the American giant Mars, Incorporated, a leader in the snackfood and petcare sector, has now reached the 8th position in the list published today by the Great Place to Work Institute, the management consulting company which evaluates the elements that make a professional environment excellent, drafting an appreciation ranking every year.
For three years now Mars has been included in the list of the best places to work in our country, at first at the 32nd position, then at the 20th. Its excellent position in the 2009 list and its spectacular leap forward represent a great achievement for the company, which has always devoted special care to its employees, known as “associates”, so that every one can be an active part of the organization, its development process, and its success. This achievement is also their merit, in fact: by attributing high scores to the submitted questionnaire and commenting positively on the initiatives promoted by the company in 2008, they have allowed Mars Italia to make such an improvement.
Of the elements evaluated by the Great Place to Work Institute that “made a difference” vs. other important corporate entities, the following were particularly appreciated:
The painstaking in-house communication activity of Mars, both at local and international level. In fact, through a set of instruments, including forums, the intranet, and newsletters, each associate can access lots of information on the company, its policies, the business projects, and the results. Moreover, all associates, whatever their hierarchic position, can ask questions directly to the top-level senior managers, including the president’s representatives.
The social responsibility initiatives that see Mars committed to support social and scientific educational projects aimed, for example, at promoting Responsible Pet Ownership and valorizing the relation between man and pets through a special focus on pet therapy. Additional recognition included initiatives that point out to Mars’ respect for the environment (e.g. the use of low CO2 emission company cars, the use of recycled paper).
The work/life balance schemes promoting and protecting a fair balance between the working pace and private life and making the working environment pleasant, trustworthy, and mutually respectful for all, ensuring everyone the due satisfaction for one’s job and one’s career. The available benefits of Mars include a new policy for use of the feeding hours for new mothers, insurance policies on health-life-accidents for all the associates, agreements with multi-specialty medical centres, leisure initiatives.
“The painstaking in-house communication activity, the worklife balance schemes, and the social responsibility initiatives have provided a crucial input to this great achievement,” says Michel Klersy, CEO of Mars Italia. “Our people are motivated and driven by the Mars principles – freedom, quality, mutuality, responsibility, and efficiency – which have allowed a transfer a family-owned business entrepreneurship to each of the 230 associates. We are very proud of this eighth position on a list that rewards the commitment of all towards team spirit, thus making the difference for the success of our business,” concludes Michel Klersy.
A strong meritocratic corporate culture, aimed at rewarding the achievement of objectives and the initiative and innovation skills – as well as a set of opportunities and benefits that make Mars Italia one of the best places to work: training courses organized every year based on the need for the professional development of every one and held by the best third-party and in-house trainers, the Mars University, a true virtual university that allows to develop one’s skills, work experiences abroad in other associated companies all around the world, and job rotation opportunities allowing each associate to work in multiple company divisions during his or her career to develop a comprehensive business experience.
For more information
Mars Italia Press Office
Ketchum
Emanuela dell’Isola – Tel. +3902 62411949
Maja Minino – Tel. +3902 62411975
