(PRESS RELEASE) FRANKLIN, TN — According to a recent study by the CESAR brand, part of the Mars family of brands, on pets in the workplace, dog-friendly policies can have a positive impact on company culture, the employee experience and recruitment and retention. To help businesses achieve these culture-building benefits, the brand is launching the 2023 CESAR Workplace Grants Program, powered by the Mars Petcare BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program, designed to help businesses make simple changes and welcome dogs into offices, or to further enhance their current dog-friendly offerings.
This new research from the brand shows the powerful impact dogs have on employee satisfaction and return to office. In fact, 93% of dog owners in pet-friendly workplaces reported positive attitudes about going to work. Additionally, 87% of employers with dog-friendly office policies say those policies increased the likelihood of their workforce returning to the office in person. Through the grants program, the CESAR brand aims to help businesses implement or enhance dog-friendly initiatives so they can experience the benefits firsthand.
“The CESAR brand believes a shared life is the best life and we believe a better future is one where dogs are welcomed everywhere,” said Jean-Paul Jansen, vice president of Marketing for Mars Petcare North America. “We are now making it easier for dog parents and businesses alike to advocate for dog-friendly spaces and take that first step toward togetherness in the office through the launch of these Workplace Grants.”
New creative campaign shows how simple and beneficial it is to have your best four-legged friend in the office, versus – say an absurd option – like a rhino. Because we’re not asking for rhino-friendly offices, just dog-friendly ones. It’s easier than you think.
The CESAR brand’s initiative is designed to educate on the simple ways businesses can welcome pets in the office on a trial or long-term basis. Building on insights from Mars Petcare’s BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program, the CESAR brand aims to help dog-friendly workplaces obtain amenities, dog-friendly design, effective pets-at-work policies and more. Through the Workplace Grants, the CESAR brand has plans to award $75,000 to more than 15 businesses and companies, which, for example, can be used to:
- Help with responsible pet ownership support like signage, behavior training classes or leash hooks and installations
- Offer health and safety support like dog-friendly water fountains or adding safety-promoting design elements
- Support engagement and celebration initiatives like creating interactive areas or content you can use to promote your dog-friendly workplace
“Growing up with dogs myself, I know the impact having your best fur friend nearby has on boosting morale,” said Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, who has partnered with the brand to provide his advocacy for the benefits of dogs to workplace culture. “Given how many hours we spend a week in the workplace, it makes sense to have dogs with you for added support and comfort throughout the day. The CESAR Workplace Grants are a huge step in allowing dogs in the workplace to become a reality – it helps remove barriers, incent trial, and support pet-friendly programming.”
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In addition to the grants, the CESAR brand provides pet parents and employers tools and resources to help make the world a more dog-friendly place. Mars Petcare, the CESAR brand’s parent company, offers the PETS WORK AT WORK toolkit as part of the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program, which includes dog-friendly workplace resources.
Pet parents who submit their “expense report” from June 23rd through June 30th, complete with a photo of them and their pup enjoying lunch together, will receive a $10 prepaid card for them and two CESAR WHOLESOME BOWLS meals for their pup.
Take Your Dog to Work Day
This year, the CESAR brand has teamed up with Pet Sitters International as an official sponsor of Take Your Dog To Work Day, which encourages employers to experience the joys of pets in the workplace one fun summer Friday each year to celebrate dogs and promote their adoptions.
To celebrate PSI’s 25th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day, the CESAR brand is sharing simple and engaging ways for dog parents and businesses to welcome dogs in the office, starting by helping to cover the cost of a lunch at work for pet parents and their four-legged friend when they dine together on Friday, June 23. Pet parents who submit their “expense report” from June 23rd through June 30th, complete with a photo of them and their pup enjoying lunch together, will receive a $10 prepaid card for them and two CESAR WHOLESOME BOWLS meals for their pup. (No purchase necessary. Limited quantities. Eligibility restrictions apply). For more information, official rules and eligibility restrictions, visit here.
Helping Pet Parents Advocate for Pet-Friendly Offices
To give pet parents a way to get involved, the CESAR brand is also launching a creative campaign built around a totally different animal: the rhino. Social videos show a rhino wreaking havoc on an office to make the point that going dog friendly is no big deal by comparison. The integrated campaign also includes custom rhino filters for Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat that allows users to create a video of a rhino in their own office in an effort to help spread the word.
To learn more about the CESAR brand’s commitment, visit here or follow the CESAR brand on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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About CESAR Canine Cuisine
CESAR Canine Cuisine is a high-quality line of premium dry and wet dog food and dog treats for small- to medium-sized dogs. The CESAR brand wants to transform mealtime into moments of shared joy by providing irresistible taste and unparalleled variety all dogs love. The CESAR brand offers a wide variety of irresistible wet food flavors through their classic tray offerings, including the HOME DELIGHTS line that features comfort food favorites. The SIMPLY CRAFTED range is designed to give dogs a simple and tasty meal complement, while WHOLESOME BOWLS meals are a healthy and culinary inspired meal or dry kibble topper. The brand’s newest offering, the CESAR FRESH CHEF range, is a moist and flavorful refrigerated dog food made with human-grade ingredients. The brand also offers three flavors in their dry food line, plus a variety of gourmet soft dog treats. To learn more, visit here.
About Mars Petcare
At Mars Petcare we have one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. Through comprehensive veterinary care, nutrition, breakthrough programs in diagnostics, wearable health monitoring, DNA testing and pet welfare we help pets in more than 130 countries. For decades we’ve supported research into the incredible science of human-animal interaction at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute where scientists discover important advances in pet health and wellness. Mars Petcare is part of Mars, Incorporated, a global, family-owned business with a focus on becoming Sustainable in a Generation. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.
Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food and petcare products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including Ben’s Original, CESAR, Cocoavia, DOVE, EXTRA, KIND, M&M’s, SNICKERS, ORBIT, PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, SKITTLES, and WHISKAS. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, Linnaeus and VCA – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing. For more information about Mars, please visit here. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Mars Petcare partnered with Weber Shandwick and KRC Research to inform the Cesar Purpose at Work 2.0 Program study. KRC Research conducted an online survey among a sample of n=1500 US office workers and n=300 employers. All office workers had to work in person on average at least 2 days a week. The survey was conducted from May 2 to May 9, 2023.
Take Your Dog To Work Day and the TYDTWD Logo are trademarks of Pet Sitters International, Inc. and are used with permission.
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