Martin Radvan, president of Wrigley (right), with Pamela Mars and Tim Gardner, executive vice president of ITW and Keep America Beautiful’s chairman of the board.

Last Thursday, Keep America Beautiful (KAB) — the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to building and sustaining vibrant communities — honored the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., with its 2013 Vision for America Award at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.

Wrigley, which was one of KAB’s founding supporters in 1953, had been selected to receive the award “for its significant leadership role in social and environmental stewardship, philanthropy, and enlightened corporate citizenship,” the Stamford, Conn.-based group says.

“I am especially proud to honor one of our founding supporters and celebrate Wrigley’s commitment to help build environmental awareness in communities across the country,” says Tim Gardner, Keep America Beautiful’s Chairman of the Board and executive v.p. of International Tool Works.

Past recipients of the Vision for America Award, which was established in 1986, include PepsiCo, Nestlé Waters North America, and most recently, Xerox Corp.

“We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to environmental stewardship, which we strive to bring to life within our business operations, through our associates, and across the communities we touch,” says Martin Radvan, president of Wrigley.

KAB cited the following achievements by Wrigley as reasons for it being this year’s Vision for America Award recipient:  

• As part of the Mars Sustainable in a Generation (SiG) program, Wrigley has set ambitious targets to reduce the footprint of the company’s site operations by 2040, including the elimination of fossil-fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing water and waste impacts.  In the near-term, Wrigley is focused on achieving zero waste to landfill and reducing absolute energy use each year. 
• Wrigley’s “Go Green” program encourages associates in the United States and around the world to bring sustainable practices to life at the workplace.  Active at nearly every site, Wrigley associates are developing Go Green projects todriveawareness of sustainable behavior at work and help lessen the impact of everyday business operations on the planet.
• Wrigley is an active participant in impactful global volunteer programs, including the Mars Volunteer Program (MVP) and the Mars Ambassador Program (MAP).
• Seeking sustainable ingredients and suppliers, Wrigley sources high-quality ingredients and partners with those who share the company’s commitment to a sustainable future.  For example, as a founding member of the Mint Industry Research Council (MIRC), Wrigley is supporting the organization’s efforts to grow mint crops in ways that are better for the environment.
• In addition to Wrigley’s strong commitment to sustainability, the separate Wrigley Co. Foundation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., also actively supports environmental education.

The prestigious Vision for America Award was presented at a dinner before distinguished guests, including senior public officials and business leaders. In addition to paying tribute to the honoree, the dinner raised funds for KAB.