Alastair Child: Spearheading Sustainability as Mars’ CSO
Alastair Child, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mars, has been ranked number one in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 250 Sustainability Leaders 2026.
This achievement recognises Alastair’s position leading the sustainability journey of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of food and drink products.
Alastair’s career so far
Alastair assumed the role of CSO in February 2025, after spending seven years as CSO for Mars Wrigley.
He first joined Mars in 2001, with his 24-year tenure at the company seeing him work in brand management, global partnerships and cocoa sustainability before he took his global roles.
At Mars Wrigley, Alastair was responsible for reducing deforestation in palm oil and pulp supply chains, as well as introducing innovative packaging solutions.
Alastair says on LinkedIn: “On our current trajectory, the world is headed for catastrophic and irreversible damage to the planet and its people.
“From everything I have learned from studying as a geographer, from living and working with vulnerable communities and leading sustainability at Mars, I believe we can partner to redefine and transform business from a model of extracting value to one where we create value for nature and people.”
Leading sustainability at Mars
At Mars, Alastair leads the implementation of sustainability strategies, including redesigning supply chains to address key issues such as deforestation, regenerative agriculture and logistics.
In its 2024 Sustainable in a Generation report, Mars revealed that by the end of 2024 it had 16.4% fewer emissions, while its revenue grew by US$55bn.
One of the biggest challenges facing the company is agricultural emissions.
In its aim to transition to climate-smart practices, it has supported 60 projects around the world.
It plans to hold its total land footprint flat, so that its value chain does not indirectly contribute to further agricultural expansion.
As of 2024, it has remained flat with its 2015 land baseline, showing its commitment to responsible land stewardship.
Alastair writes on LinkedIn: “Sustainability is not a race any company wants to win. It’s both not possible to be sustainable if others are not, and it’s pointless.
“We only succeed as a collective, sustainability is a team sport.
“We have long known our impacts are predominantly in the Scope 3 supply chain. We ARE our customers’ Scope 3 supply chain.
“So it’s imperative we improve their footprint through partnership if the broader business community is to succeed in meeting our needs without compromising the next generation.”
All sustainability, net zero and sustainable supply chain leaders should attend:
- Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - QEII Centre, London, March 4-5
- Sustainability LIVE: The US Summit - Navy Pier, Chicago, April 21-22
Co-located with Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE, these events brings together CSOs, ESG leaders and senior decision-makers at a moment when sustainability, supply chains and commercial performance are increasingly interconnected.
Tickets can be booked online today for The Net Zero Summit and The US Summit. Group discounts available.
Building a sustainable future
In the previous year, Mars has enhanced its efforts from its Sustainable in a Generation Plan, which aims to halve its value chain emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050.
To help achieve this target, Alastair leads a team of 30 sustainability experts, focusing on a range of areas including climate, coral restoration, packaging and data analytics.
His primary goal is to embed sustainability into every aspect of Mars’ operations and supply chains.
Upon Alastair’s appointment to the role, Andy Pharoah, VP Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, Mars said: “Alastair has established himself as a strong, well-respected leader.
“He brings a wealth of experience to the role and will play a key part in ensuring sustainability is integrated into every aspect of our business to help us build the world we want tomorrow.”
The company’s success in achieving its sustainability goals relies on collaboration with key players across the supply chain.
Alastair’s position as CSO reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability, both within its own practices and for its stakeholders and suppliers.
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Alastair Child
Chief Sustainability Officer