For World Food Safety Day 2022, Mars Global Food Safety Center highlighted the renewal of its partnership with the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP). Mars and WFP have been collaborating since 2015 in an effort to increase global, vulnerable communities’ access to safe food. The renewal of the partnership was made in December 2021.

According to Mars, the number of food-insecure people—those without access to safe, sufficient food—continues to grow around the world. In 2021, nearly 193 million people across 53 nations were considered food insecure, which is an increase of 40 million people from the previous year.

Mars expresses that, as a global food manufacturer, it has a responsibility to address global food safety challenges through partnerships. Mars and WFP’s joint work focuses on strengthening food systems, reducing risk for people receiving food assistance, preventing food safety incidents, and providing food safety training to small farms. Through an exchange of knowledge and guidance, Mars and WFP’s partnership has helped countless individuals, such as families affected by food shortages, farmers, and children receiving free meals at school. 

WFP shares its gratitude for its partnership with Mars, which allows WFP to expand its work capacity and strengthen supply chains through strategic guidance, training, and processes. Mars adds that international partnership and collaboration is the only way to effectively address growing and unprecedented food safety challenges to ensure food safety for all.