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Mars Achieves 100% Renewable Electricity in 2,300 Veterinary Clinics

Mars Veterinary Health showcases sustainability initiatives at VMX 2025, emphasizing emissions and waste reduction.

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Mars Veterinary Health served as the Sustainability Sponsor at the 2025 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida last week. The event, attended by 30,000 industry professionals from 86 countries, followed the release of the company’s inaugural Environmental Sustainability Update, which outlines sustainability efforts across its global network of over 2,300 veterinary clinics, including Banfield, BluePearl, and VCA.

The company hosted a Sustainability Hub with practical engagement activities and led a continuing education session, How to Practice Sustainable Veterinary Medicine, providing insights, lessons learned and practical strategies for reducing waste, improving efficiency, and advancing sustainable care practices.

Sustainability Leadership and Progress

The Environmental Sustainability Update highlights Mars Veterinary Health’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and addressing critical challenges including climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Given  veterinary healthcare's role as a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pharmaceutical waste, the company has committed to expanding sustainability initiatives in collaboration with partners across the veterinary and healthcare industries.

Mars Veterinary Health’s efforts align with Mars, Incorporated's broader sustainability goals of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction by 2030. To support these goals, the company is investing in sustainable technologies, trialing innovative solutions, and implementing scalable best practices across its global operations.

Key Progress Highlights from the Sustainability Update

The report outlines several key milestones achieved to date, including:

  • 100% Renewable Electricity: Achieved across over 2,300 veterinary clinics in the U.S. and U.K.
  • Waste Reduction: Recycled over 18,000 pet food packages through Banfield, Linnaeus, and VCA clinics since 2023.
  • Pharmaceutical Stewardship: Published research on antimicrobial stewardship and scaled reusable shipping programs with MWI Animal Health, preventing 80 tons of waste in 2024.
  • Pet Blood Supply Management: Developed the BluePearl Blood Bank to maintain critical pet blood supplies while minimizing waste and distribution impacts.
  • GHG Emissions Reduction: Implemented anesthetic gas capture technology at Linnaeus clinics to reduce emissions.
  • Antibiotic Use Monitoring: Conducted a point prevalence survey on antibiotic usage across 280 AniCura clinics, enhancing antimicrobial management practices.

Banfield Pet Hospital has also released its ninth annual Veterinary Emerging Topics (VET) Report in partnership with the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC). The report focuses on antibiotic stewardship, building upon last year’s findings on sustainable veterinary practices.

Growing Demand for Sustainable Veterinary Practices

Sustainability is increasingly seen as essential by both veterinary professionals and pet owners. According to a recent survey, 76% of veterinary staff believe it is very important for their clinic to prioritize environmental sustainability.  Similarly, 65% of pet owners want to be informed about their veterinary clinic's efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

Mars Veterinary Health aims to meet these expectations by embedding sustainability into its operations and sharing best practices across the global veterinary sector. 

Environment + Energy Leader