How Mars Veterinary Health is Making Green Sponsorship at VMX Grow -

At the North American Veterinary Community’s VMX: Veterinary Meeting & Expo, the world’s largest veterinary conference and trade show, sustainability took center stage with Mars Veterinary Health’s sponsorship of the show’s Sustainability Hub and waste-sorting activations at the Orange County Convention Center. What started with a few recycling bins in 2022 has grown into a multi-year, data-driven sustainability partnership that’s cutting waste, driving attendee action, and raising the bar for green sponsorships.

One Leaf at a Time

Early recycling efforts in the expo hall started in 2022, and in 2024, NAVC piloted a small sustainability hub, supported by Banfield Pet Hospital, that featured front-of-house composting stations, a recycled art installation, and an interactive installation where attendees could write their sustainability intention on a cardboard leaf and attach it to a tree. The sustainable activations resulted in a 30 percent decrease of waste per person during the show, according to Honeycomb Strategies, a consulting firm that facilitated the hub.

For the 2025 VMX, Banfield parent company Mars Veterinary Health took over as a sponsor, expanding the Hub’s scope and footprint and leveraging the sponsorship as a platform to showcase its 2024 Environmental Sustainability Update, which highlighted the company’s progress toward Net Zero emissions by 2050 and investments in renewable energy and waste reduction across its global veterinary network.

“At Mars Veterinary Health, we believe our purpose—a better world for pets—depends on a healthy planet,” says Margo Mosher, global head of sustainability at Mars Veterinary Health. “Meaningful change starts with shared commitment, and even small steps, when taken together, can lead to big impact. As the industry comes together to exchange ideas and best practices, we feel a responsibility and an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of practicing veterinary medicine more sustainably, to help inspire collective action that strengthens our profession, protects the planet, and supports the health of pets and people alike.”

Values in Action

Under prominent signage, the Hub featured a waste station with explanations about processing different types of waste as well as hydroponic stations, with plants grown by the convention center’s catering provider Sodexo, along with a sculpture that was filled with plastic bottles and other recyclable materials. Recycling and composting efforts were leveled up throughout the convention center. Mars Veterinary Health delivered continuing education (CE) sessions on how to embed sustainability into vet practices and for every video view of the brand’s Environmental Sustainability Update story, the company helped plant a tree.

Mosher says, “If attendees leave with just one or two new ideas that make sustainability the easy choice, whether inspired by attending our CE session, sorting waste on-site, or from event collateral, we’ll be one step closer to a more sustainable future for our profession.”

VMX 2025 saw a 30 percent increase in composting from the previous year, according to Honeycomb Strategies.

Why Sustainability Sponsorships Stand Out

Sustainability as a value translates to action on the showfloor, says Julie Kittredge, strategic account manager, sponsorships, at NAVC. “We’re seeing more attendees bring their own water bottles to the event. Companies are asking us about sustainable silverware and compostable packaging for catering.”

The show has moved away from printing collateral and launched a program for recycling vinyl banners into bags that can be purchased at the stores on-site.

Sustainability activations cut through the clutter in ways traditional sponsorships can’t, says Brenan Dwyer, senior marketing manager at Honeycomb Strategies. “Everyone knows sponsorship is visibility, but sustainability sponsorships are still an untapped frontier. At VMX, Mars Veterinary Health wasn’t just a logo on a banner—they were the name behind composting stations, the Sustainability Hub, and a full attendee experience. That’s a powerful, organic way to show values in action.”