Pay and Benefits

We reward our Associates' commitment and effort with a comprehensive package of pay and benefits. Associates receive annual Total Rewards Statements providing them with full details of the value of each element of their individual pay and benefits package.

Our packages around the world vary according to local legal requirements and market conditions, but all are designed with the following aims in mind: Associates will be competitively paid for the job they do; Associates and their families enjoy good health; Associates feel protected from the effects of catastrophic life events; Associates know that Mars respects their lives outside work; and Associates plan and prepare for their retirement.

We aim to pay fairly and competitively. Our general approach is to offer above average pay in comparison to pay offered for similar roles by other employers, and in return we expect Associates to work hard to deliver superior business performance. As well as competitive base pay, we offer a range of attractive performance-based incentives.

Ensuring that Associates and their families enjoy the best health possible is a key component of our benefits package. Our wellness initiatives help us all stay as healthy as possible, but if they fail we seek to ensure that all Associates and their families have access to good quality, affordable healthcare. Providing this access makes good business sense: Associates who are unhealthy or worried about a sick relative are unlikely to give their best to their job. This extends into the most remote corners of our business. At our cocoa farm in Brazil, we provide medical insurance not just to the farm’s managers but also to all the field hands and their families. We also extend the use of our small clinic at the farm to the local community.

The vast majority of Associates have financial protection covering sickness, disability and death. This package includes comprehensive short- and long-term disability programs and life insurance equal to three times gross annual salary plus target annual bonus.

Flexible policies allow Associates time away from work to deal with life events. Everyone needs time to relax and recharge, and we provide paid vacation time for all Associates. The amount of leave we provide varies based on each country's cultural and legal requirements.

When their working lives are over, we want Associates to enjoy the retirement of their choice. Mars accepts some of the responsibility for ensuring that Associates have adequate income in retirement and provides a range of pension and retirement savings options. One example of this would be encouraging participation by matching Associates' contributions with an equivalent company contribution. We further encourage retirement savings through newsletters, podcasts, webinars and seminars with savings professionals. During the recent global financial crisis, many companies scaled back their contributions to Associate retirement savings plans, but Mars contributions remained the same and, in some cases, actually increased.