At the center of our human rights policy is a belief in the principles of equality, equity and non-discrimination and a commitment to treating all individuals with respect, dignity and kindness. On Human Rights Day we want to take a moment to look back at the progress we’ve made in 2020 and what’s to come in the year ahead.
While it has been a challenging year for all of us, in recent years teens have reported increasing levels of stress, anxiety and other mental health challenges, which have only been exacerbated by the events of 2020. However, research has shown that increasing social and emotional competencies such as empathy and inclusion, as well as fostering meaningful connections with peers, adults and their community, can improve youth outcomes and wellbeing.
Hershey actively supports an inclusive marketplace through our supplier diversity program that creates business opportunities for qualified and diversely-owned enterprises. Besides enabling us to represent and better understand our consumers, diverse supply chains drive innovation and fresh thinking and reflect our diverse employee base, cementing their pride and sense of engagement in working for our company.
The Hershey Company’s legacy is rooted in doing well by doing good. This was the mission of our founder, Milton Hershey, who built a company on the values of integrity, excellence, togetherness and making a difference. That spirit lives on with us today, more than 125 years later.
BEATRICE MOULIANITAKI, Head of Cocoa Sustainability
Blog
Nearly 70 percent of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa, and cocoa is a critical and often sole source of cash for millions of smallholder farming families. Unfortunately, these communities face environmental and economic difficulties that present various challenges for West African cocoa farmers. Many typically have low incomes, often at or below the accepted poverty line. Basic infrastructure is minimal or non-existent and land-rights are often poorly defined.
By Ruben Cardona & Erika Nava, Latino Business Resource Group
Blog
At Hershey, we consciously work to ensure our employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work each day, and that our workforce mirrors the diversity of our consumers around the world. One of the ways we do this is through our eight, diverse, employee-led Business Resource Groups, including the Latino Business Resource Group (LBRG).
