Mars Claims Deforestation-Free Palm Oil After Ditching Hundreds of Suppliers

Adopt a deforestation-free palm oil policy now and publish a public list of hundreds of suppliers ditched for deforestation risk; establish partnerships with compliant mills to ensure what is delivered remains sustainable through each stage.

To execute this, Mars builds partnerships avec partners et un third-party network of monitors that assess forest risk through field audits, satellite data, and local reporting. Those monitors feed a model that ties supplier performance to degradation risk, enabling precise interventions and faster course corrections.

Le approach centers on measurable strategies that have already delivered results: a 40% reduction in high-risk sourcing in the last year, and a 25% increase in traceability across supply zones. Those gains come from engaging partners and local communities, reinforcing forests protection while keeping supply reliable.

Those efforts matter for forests, communities, and even the pets of nearby households, illustrating how biodiversity sustains livelihoods. Mars invites other brands to adopt this model and to comprendre that durable change rests on clear governance, independent verification, and an ongoing network of services.

For companies evaluating supplier changes, the recommended steps include mapping supply blocks, piloting with third-party auditors, scaling up monitors, and aligning with a transparent reporting cadence. Through ongoing partnerships with stakeholders, Mars demonstrates how a credible model for deforestation-free palm oil can last and stay resilient.

Mars Deforestation-Free Palm Oil Plan: Supplier Cuts, Greenpeace Debate, and Partnerships

Adopt a targeted supplier reduction plan and empower third-party verification to ensure cleaner palm oil within 12 months, then scale to all imports by 2026.

1. Strategic supplier cuts and risk-based onboarding
   • Reduce direct palm-oil suppliers from a large cohort to fewer, prioritizing those with low deforestation risk and strong governance. Target a reduction of at least 40–60% within the first year, while maintaining supply security for foodmakers across Mars brands.
   • Before signing any new contract, conduct baseline risk assessments using a standardized paper trail that traces origin, land-use history, and community impact. This helps the internal team understand where systemic gaps exist.
   • Institute a tiered onboarding model that pairs high-risk suppliers with support services, ensuring quick wins and stable continuity for smallholder partners.
2. Rigorous third-party monitoring and clean verification
   • Deploy independent verification with a transparent monitor system that blends remote sensing, on-the-ground audits, and community input from local groups and organizations.
   • Introduce a tipping-point framework: if a supplier’s performance falls below defined thresholds, suspend imports until corrective action passes third-party review.
   • Publish a quarterly scorecard on action progress, including concrete metrics such as deforestation-free share, traceability updates, and soil-health indicators (earthworm counts) from sampled farms.
3. Deforestation-free model for smallholders and communities
   • Empower a cohort of smallholders with targeted training, access to affordable inputs, and a structured services package to improve yields without expanding forest clearance.
   • Offer technical guidance on sustainable planting, crop rotation, and soil restoration, supported by technology-enabled soil and water monitoring.
   • Ensure that paper-based records align with digital data to create a robust, auditable model that foodmakers can trust within Mars’s supply chain.
4. Partnership framework with organizations and groups
   • Establish a formal alliance with environmental NGOs, local communities, and industry groups to align standards and share best practices in a way that is powerful and scalable.
   • Involve community groups early in the process to understand local realities, enabling more effective remediation plans and long-term commitments.
   • Set up joint steering committees with representatives from Mars, partner organizations, and smallholders to review progress, share lessons, and refine targets.
5. Address Greenpeace debate with practical actions
   • Propose a clear timeline for progressive supplier disengagement from high-risk sources, paired with accelerated support for compliant producers to reach deforestation-free status.
   • Offer independent verification of zero-deforestation claims and invite third-party observers to participate in interim audits to build trust with consumers and civil society.
   • Share accessible, actionable data on progress, including common barriers and next steps, to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.
6. Measuring impact and scaling up
   • Track impact with a simple yet powerful set of KPIs: fewer deforestation incidents, higher share of clean imports, and stronger accountability across the group of suppliers.
   • Aim to achieve a cumulative billion-dollar efficiency gain by reducing waste and improving procurement with smarter technology and better paper-based reporting.
   • Advance a transparent model that can be adopted by other companies and feed a broader ecosystem of responsible sourcing within the food industry.

With these steps, Mars can move from interim actions to a durable, systemic action that supports smallholders, protects communities, and strengthens trust with consumers and watchdog groups alike.

Mars Palm Positive Plan: Deforestation-Free Claims, Supplier Reductions, and NGO Reactions

Act now: publish a deforestation-free palm oil policy, map every supplier, and reduce hundreds of suppliers within five years, with quarterly progress reports accessible to communities and the public, safeguarding the planet for tomorrow. This move meets the need for credible, planet-focused sourcing and sets a clear active path through transparency.

Mars builds the plan through rigorously defined steps: an executive-backed map of supply chains, third-party verification, and traceability from plantation to mill. They apply a five-tier risk model that covers plantations, mills, and traders, and they will report progress through a public dashboard with источник data and independent audits, tactiques that cut through milky disclosures.

NGOs respond with cautious optimism, noting the transparency gains and urging suite funding for conservation programs. They call for robust independent audits, data-sharing with communities, and long-term commitments from the executive leadership. Organizations engaged in conservation and labor rights welcome the approach, while they monitor progress over the next years.

Drawing on a wilmar-inspired risk mapping, Mars ties supplier exit criteria to deforestation risk, strengthens contracts with ethical milestones, and builds long-term partnerships with verified mills and farmer cooperatives. This approach reduces risk while elevating the standing of hundreds of smallholders and plantation workers.

To ensure sustained impact, maintain active monitoring, publish a live plan quarterly, and keep communities and conservation organizations engaged. Establish five-year milestones for supplier reductions with annual reviews across those years, and insist on better ethical practices at every step.

How Mars defines and verifies ‘deforestation-free’ palm oil under the Palm Positive Plan

Recommendation: Define deforestation-free palm oil under the Palm Positive Plan as palm oil sourced from estates with no forest conversion since 2015, verified through independent audits, and reported transparently. Require traceability from origin farms through processing facilities to Mars factories and tighten controls on imports from high-risk regions. This set of strategies blends rigorous criteria with clear governance to simplify supplier decisions.

Mars applies a two-layer approach: a baseline forest-change check and ongoing risk screening. The baseline uses high-resolution satellite data updated weekly to flag any new forest cover loss in supplier footprints. Field verification follows, focusing on smallholder operations in the asia-pacific region, with a group of trusted partners conducting audits on a rotating basis to ensure reliability. The approach works, and collaboration across suppliers, growers, and Mars teams is simplifying data handling and speeding decision-making.

To verify the ground truth, Mars uses a material trail: each batch of palm oil is linked to a farm code, a mill code, and a shipment record. These links feed into a centralized services platform that aggregates data, flags anomalies, and stores images captured by fuji cameras at field checks. The system uses a reliable scoring method with a red/amber/green status for each supply line, ensuring the material flow aligns with deforestation-free commitments.

Transparency is built into every step. The Palm Positive Plan requires suppliers to publish quarterly reports detailing the group-level deforestation-free performance, the percentage of smallholder-derived material, and the share of processed oils that come from verified sources. Mars tracks imports, materials, and processed products, and shares a public dashboard summarizing progress across asia-pacific and other origins, while maintaining the order of operations across suppliers. This supports cross-functional teams and strengthens customer trust.

Implementation milestones: by 2026 Mars aims to halve the average time from field audit to certification, reduce supplier risk by 50%, and achieve 95% traceability to mills. The first 12 months focus on pilots in three countries; the following 24 months scale to all suppliers. The pandemic-proof approach uses remote audits, satellite checks, and mobile verification services to keep progress on track even when in-person visits are limited.

Beyond compliance, Mars expands collaboration with NGOs, farmer groups, and service providers to uplift soil health and biodiversity. The program tracks indicators such as earthworm counts and other soil fauna; buffer zones protect habitats for native species and pets in nearby communities, while ensuring production remains deforestation-free. The data signal improvements in soil structure, water retention, and erosion control, and findings are shared with Asia-Pacific partners to amplify impact beyond Mars’s operations.

Which 94 suppliers were dropped and why

Review Mars’ supplier risk framework and align your practices with its criteria; the exact 94 names are not publicly disclosed, but the drop follows a defined risk-based process that targets high-deforestation-risk sources and weak traceability. To apply this at scale, map your own suppliers against the same thresholds and track changes between your tiers of sourcing.

These drops occurred after a milestone in Mars’ deforestation-free palm oil program and reflect a broader move to a cleaner, more accountable supply chain. The 94 suppliers sit across entire networks, including mills and trading houses, with origins in key producing regions. The stated reasons center on deforestation risk, limited traceability, unsatisfactory labor practices, and failure to meet policy commitments. After the assessment, these associates were removed to prevent continued exposure to environmental and reputational risk.

For monitoring and improvement, Mars emphasizes collaboration and ongoing work with remaining suppliers. The management team requires regular monitoring updates, joint action plans, and transparent reporting from these sources. The approach leans on technology-enabled verification, alternative sourcing, and routine audits to ensure a durable, equitable transition for smallholders and communities affected by sourcing changes.

Readers can use this as a blueprint: establish a clear criterion set, demand periodic updates, and embrace an integrated supplier-management workflow that sits between procurement, sustainability, and risk teams. By building a robust collaboration with suppliers and associates, the chain can remain resilient after the departure of high-risk sources. The emphasis on continued improvement, clean data, and technology-enabled traceability supports a more transparent, entire supply base.

Note: Unilever and other major buyers have pushed for similar standards, reinforcing the shift toward better practices and more consistent enforcement. These steps create a credible, equitable framework for ongoing supplier changes and help ensure that the palm oil used is truly deforestation-free.

Verification, audits, and reporting: tracking palm oil sourcing and progress

Adopt a risk-based, transparent verification framework across all suppliers and plantations, with quarterly audits and public progress reporting. Define traceability milestones from source to mill within a unified governance model and tie fournisseur performance to procurement decisions.

Engage independent, adopté third-party audits to verify declared origins against documented sources, y compris satellite imagery and on-site checks. Audits must rigorously confirm that palm oil originates from compliant plantations, with clear findings, remediation timelines, and accessible disclosures for stakeholders.

Build a monitoring stack that merges satellite signals, field inspection results, and supplier data. Use a common data model, with material risk attributes, to track sources and progress within each plantation and group. The model should support cross-commodity insights beyond palm oil, beyond à cocoa et beef, aligning the corporate footprint across categories and helping teams prioritize actions within the business.

Publish dashboards detailing progress against deforestation-free targets, volume sourced from verified sources, and audit outcomes by supplier and plantation. Include après-action plans, milestones reached, and remediation status. A Justin data feed flags anomalies and monitors traceability gaps, ensuring accountability across groups and suppliers.

Set governance that clarifies roles for Mars, procurement, and external organizations, avec un environmental oversight model that requires having up-to-date records, monitoring results, and après-audit follow-through. Require suppliers to report within specified timelines, and escalate issues to the internal groups when remediation slips schedule. This approach keeps the program sur track after adopté standards, supporting a credible shift toward deforestation-free palm oil across the supply chain.

Greenpeace critique: concerns about simplification of supply chains

Recommendation: Map every supplier to the plantation or smallholder level and require independent verification for all traceability milestones. Maintain ongoing monitoring and public disclosure to ensure forest protection and climate impact reduction.

To start, Greenpeace notes that simplifying to a small set of suppliers can obscure risks hidden in mills, traders, and contracted plantations. through dilution of oversight, executives may believe a deforestation-free label is achieved while actual supply links still support forest loss. This mismatch undercuts leadership commitments and erodes trust among businesses and NGOs.

In practice, a credible approach requires a living, multi-layer map showing the path from supply to plantation. Example: a palm oil blend sourced through several mills must still be verifiably linked to a known plantation and not tied to a recently cleared forest. Ongoing verification, independent audits, and public reporting help prevent leakage and create accountability for the supply chain. This framework supports smallholder inclusion, reaching rural farmers with training and fair pricing, while maintaining rigorous verification.

Unilever and Wilmar have programmes that aim for clean supply chains, but this critique argues that leadership must extend beyond a single programme. Collaboration with smallholders, plantations, and local watchdogs strengthens resilience. This means engaging cooperatives, offering training, access to finance, and transparent price data so smallholders are not forced to clear forests to stay competitive. through joint action led by an executive sponsor, brands can demonstrate real progress over years, not just marketing cycles. As justin parkin, programme director, notes, a credible deforestation-free claim requires governance across commodities and ongoing verification.

Partnerships driving progress: NGO, industry, and supplier collaborations

Adopt a joint charter among NGO networks, industry players, and supplier groups to achieve deforestation-free palm oil, with a public paper outlining milestones and a clear deadline. This must be supported by a concrete action plan and ongoing monitoring; they will monitor progress through a shared dashboard and report results regularly.

The partnership should assign NGO-led community outreach and independent transparency audits, industry-led data integration across supplier tiers, and supplier teams that adopt traceability to mills and performance KPIs. Use satellite imagery to verify forest cover changes and ensure only processed palm oil enters the production line used by foodmakers. Ensure an equitable approach that includes smallholders, with data shared to reduce opaque reporting and to empower communities to participate in decision-making.

In practice, the ongoing collaboration has been piloted in several markets, reaching 28% traceability to the plantation level within 12 months, with 60% of supplier data feeds aligned to a common standard. A grant-funded program trained more than 2,400 smallholders to implement traceability tools and basic forest-risk mapping. They have adopted tighter order-level requirements, so each order is fulfilled with deforestation-free palm oil, and this shift has been embraced by 40 supplier firms across three markets.

To scale further, foodmakers, processors, and retailers in the worlds of agriculture and manufacturing must align on definitions of deforestation-free, share progress in a public paper, and continue to fund cooperative actions. The need is for continued collaboration, rapid remediation when signals appear, and a transparent cadence of updates that keeps communities informed and protections in place; this ongoing work is driving progress across supplier networks and markets.