Keep America Beautiful Announces Wrigley as the 2013 Recipient of the Vision for America Award

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 17, 2013 /3BL Media/ -- Keep America Beautiful (KAB), the nation’s leading nonprofit that builds and sustains vibrant communities, will honor the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, with the 2013 Vision for America Award on Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Ill.

Wrigley, which was one of KAB’s founding supporters in 1953, has been selected to receive the award for its significant leadership role in social and environmental stewardship, philanthropy, and enlightened corporate citizenship.

“I am especially proud to honor one of our founding supporters and celebrate Wrigley’s commitment to help build environmental awareness in communities across the country,” said Tim Gardner, Keep America Beautiful’s Chairman of the Board and executive vice president of International Tool Works.

Past recipients of the Vision for America Award, which was established in 1986, include PepsiCo, Nestlé Waters North America, and most recently, Xerox Corporation.

“We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to environmental stewardship, which we strive to bring to life within our business operations, through our associates, and across the communities we touch,” said Martin Radvan, president of Wrigley.
As a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, the achievements of Wrigley in the areas of environmental sustainability, civic leadership, and community commitment establish the organization as a worthy recipient of the Vision for America Award.

• As part of the Mars Sustainable in a Generation (SiG) program, Wrigley has set ambitious targets to reduce the footprint of the company’s site operations by 2040 by eliminating fossil-fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing water and waste impacts.  In the near-term, Wrigley is focused on achieving zero waste to landfill and reducing absolute energy use each year.  

• Wrigley’s “Go Green” program encourages associates in the U.S. and around the world to bring sustainable practices to life at the workplace.  Active at nearly every site, Wrigley associates are developing Go Green projects to drive awareness of sustainable behavior at work and help lessen the impact of everyday business operations on the planet.

• Wrigley is an active participant in impactful global volunteer programs, including the Mars Volunteer Program (MVP) and the Mars Ambassador Program (MAP). In 2012, Keep America Beautiful was selected as a MAP partner, and a team of Mars associates provided their professional expertise on a strategic marketing assignment to strengthen the Keep America Beautiful brand. Globally, associates support their local communities as part of MVP and last year provided over 20,000 volunteer hours, many of which focused on cleaning and greening projects.

• Seeking sustainable ingredients and suppliers, Wrigley sources high-quality ingredients and partners with those who share the company’s commitment to a sustainable future.  For example, as a founding member of the Mint Industry Research Council (MIRC), Wrigley is supporting the organization’s efforts to grow mint crops in ways that are better for the environment.

In addition to Wrigley’s strong commitment to sustainability, the separate Wrigley Company Foundation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, also actively supports environmental education:

• In 2011 and 2012, millions of American students of all ages were exposed to Keep America Beautiful’s “Waste in Place” education curricula, sponsored by the Wrigley Company Foundation. The resource guide includes over 100 activities and enrichments for pre-K to sixth grade students that build environmental knowledge and foster stewardship, pride and individual responsibility.

• In 2011, the Wrigley Company Foundation announced a three year, $3 million partnership with the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in support of a global “Litter Less” campaign to bring environmentally-focused education to youth in 35 countries around the world.

Wrigley’s accomplishments are a reflection of the greater Mars, Incorporated commitment to putting the Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – into action.

“Because we put the Mars Five Principles at the heart of everything we do, we’re growing our business in a way that leaves our associates, communities, consumers and environment in a better place,” said Radvan.  

In July, Mars, Incorporated released its 2012 Principles in Action Summary, which highlights the work that Mars associates have collectively done toward this end, which can be viewed at www.mars.com.

The prestigious Vision for America Award will be presented at a dinner before distinguished guests, including senior public officials and business leaders. In addition to paying tribute to the honoree, the dinner raises funds for Keep America Beautiful.

About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a strong national network of 1,200 affiliate and partners including state recycling organizations, the national nonprofit works with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities. Keep America Beautiful offers solutions that create clean, beautiful public places, reduce waste and increase recycling, inspire generations of environmental stewards and generate positive impact on local economies. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. For more information, visit www.kab.org.

About Wrigley
Wrigley is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, and lollipops. Wrigley’s world-famous brands – including Extra®, Orbit®, Doublemint®, and 5™ chewing gums, as well as confectionery brands Skittles®, Starburst®, Altoids® and Life Savers® – create simple pleasures for consumers every day. With operations across 50 countries and distribution in more than 180 countries, Wrigley’s brands bring smiles to faces around the globe. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, employs approximately 17,000 associates globally, and operates as a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 72,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

For more information, visit www.wrigley.com and www.mars.com.

About the Wrigley Company Foundation
The mission of the Wrigley Company Foundation is to help improve the health of people and our planet through sustainable initiatives focused in oral health and environmental stewardship as well as local needs that ensure a healthy community. Since its founding in 1987, the Wrigley Company Foundation has donated more than $55 million to charitable organizations improving lives around the world.