Pros
Culture: Mars' corporate principles are not just jargon and schlock. The company believes in its five principles, and they drive that belief to the associates through good engagement and follow-through. The five principles can be quoted by just about anyone, and the reason they can be quoted is that the principle are communicated and they are intertwined into daily life. Privately held: This company can do what it wants, because it is privately held and has a boat load of money. This is great, because its decisions are not swayed by Wall Street and they are not purely $$ driven. Doing the right thing: In my many many years at the company, decisions in regard to the consumer and customer are always made for the right reasons: product doesn't meet spec? Don't ship it. Product concerns? destroy it and do it right. Continuous Improvement: This company is always striving to do better and to be at the forefront of product quality and safety.
Kontras
Innovation- Mars Petcare does not put the effort and time into novel products like it used to. The company is more focused at beating competitors at their own game and chasing after them, than it is creating and nurturing its own unique features that distinguish their brands from the competition. Hiring- When I started, it was grueling and calculated. They picked the best of the best, and turnover was nil. The intelligence and energy were phenomenal in the company. It's seems that lawyers and HR have run rampant with some brand of fear-mongering, so now the selection process is overly-scripted and pat. It does not get a sense of whether the person and the company are a good fit culturally and ideologically. Hiring managers are very constrained in what they can ask and have candidates demonstrate in interviews. Red tape and decisiveness: Everyone has to be involved in everyone else's business and with everyone wanting to put in their two cents, no one is able to make a decision. In fact, quite often people are afraid to make decisions. Rather than moving forward and getting things done, often topics are tabled for another meeting...rinse and repeat.