Mary T.

I get to use my PhD in Analytical Science and drive Diversability too!

I've always had wide and varying interests, and found it very hard to choose between Science and Humanities - I finally settled upon the challenge of a Chemistry degree at the University of Birmingham in 2009. Since then, I've specialised in Analytical Science, and I completed my PhD in 2020. I moved into my role at Mars soon after, and my day job utilises this expertise on a daily basis. The WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute is a friendly site with a truly cohesive environment; research, lab, and operations teams work closely towards the common purpose of a Better World for Pets. What I like most about working for the company is the diverse range of opportunities; since April 2022 I have been co-lead of the Diversability group, whose purpose is to make Mars Disability Confident. Not only does this allow me to pursue and drive improvement in an area that I feel passionate about, but I also network and partner with associates across the entire business.

Advancing both scientific knowledge and Inclusion and Diversity

Being able to leverage my scientific knowledge and expertise to approach research questions, and seeing the impact of the findings in making a Better World for Pets, is a challenging and fulfilling day job... made even more worthwhile by the opportunity to improve the working environment for associates across the business as Diversability co-lead.

Network with lots of people, especially those outside of your field!

You never know what common ground you might have with someone, and where a connection will lead to!

Driving WALTHAM to become a role model site for disability confidence

We have 3 pillars in the Diversability strategy: disability confident sites, education, and engagement. Opening the conversation to understand what changes to site are recommended, and undergoing the work to make improvements in accessibility, is a formidable task for any leadership team. So I was thrilled that through leading in this area my home site, WALTHAM, proudly pioneered and became a role model site!