Sustainability at The Hershey Company

TBD Media Group

12 Sept 201907:33

Summary

TLDRThe Hershey Company, founded over 125 years ago, emphasizes sustainability and community investment as integral to its success. Originating from Milton Hershey's vision, the company supports cocoa farmers, children's education, and gender equality in West Africa. It also champions social-emotional development through programs like 'Cocoa for Good' and 'Hart Norman Project', aiming to foster inclusive communities and combat youth loneliness. The Milton Hershey School exemplifies the company's commitment to children's welfare, providing education and support to over 2,000 kids annually from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Takeaways

🏭 The Hershey Company has been in business for over 125 years, with a foundational principle of 'doing well while doing good'.
🌱 Sustainability is integral to the company's operations, recognizing its role as a corporate citizen and the importance of community and environmental impact.
💼 Milton Hershey's legacy is deeply rooted in the company's DNA, with a focus on community investment and employee well-being, which is believed to benefit the business.
🌍 'Cocoa for Good' is Hershey's strategy for sustainable cocoa, aiming for a world where cocoa farmers and their families lead healthy and prosperous lives.
🍼 The company supports nutrition programs like 'Energized Learning' in West Africa, providing peanut-based nutrition to school children to improve their focus and life prospects.
👥 Hershey is committed to SDG 5, focusing on gender equality, and works with partners to ensure thriving cocoa communities.
🤝 The 'Shared Goodness Promise' is Hershey's four-pronged approach to social responsibility, including business's role in society, environmental preservation, community investment, and supporting children's success.
👶 The 'Hart Norman Project' is Hershey's latest social impact program, aimed at fostering meaningful connections and inclusive communities among young people.
🏫 Milton Hershey School, founded by the company's namesake, provides education and support to over 2,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds annually.
🍫 Hershey's chocolate is positioned as an affordable, accessible product that creates connections and spreads joy, a vision held since its creation.
🔗 The company emphasizes the interconnectedness of its success with the well-being of the school, community, and the planet, and the importance of perseverance.

Q & A

How long has the Hershey company been in business?
-The Hershey company has been in business for over a hundred and 25 years.
What principle has the Hershey company operated under since its founding?
-The Hershey company has operated under the principle of 'doing well while doing good,' emphasizing sustainability.
What does the Hershey company consider as part of its sustainability commitment?
-The company's sustainability commitment includes being a part of the world around them, considering their communities, the planet, and the people on this earth.
What is the connection between operating sustainably and business results according to the Hershey company?
-The Hershey company believes that operating in a sustainable way not only does the right thing but also delivers better business results and an engaged employee workforce.
Who was Milton Hershey and what was his vision for the company?
-Milton Hershey was the founder of the Hershey company, and his vision was to build a company that was heavily invested in the community and the well-being of his employees.
What is the 'Cocoa for Good' strategy and what does it aim to achieve?
-'Cocoa for Good' is a strategy for sustainable cocoa at Hershey, with a vision of a world where cocoa farmers and their families can lead healthy and prosperous lives, and where communities and ecosystems thrive for generations to come.
What is the 'Energized for Learning' program and how does it benefit children in West Africa?
-The 'Energized for Learning' program is a nutrition initiative for kids in West Africa that delivers TV (a peanut-based nutritionist) to school children daily, produced locally by a partner project, which is supported by the Hershey company.
What is the significance of SDG 5 for the Hershey company and its operations in West Africa?
-SDG 5, which focuses on gender equality, is significant for the Hershey company as they strive to achieve gender equality within the communities they work in and collaborate with various partners to support cocoa communities.
What is the 'Shared Goodness Promise' and its four focus areas?
-The 'Shared Goodness Promise' is Hershey's commitment to sustainability, focusing on four areas: the role of their business in society, preserving the planet, investing in the places where their employees live and work, and continuing Milton Hershey's legacy of helping children succeed.
What is the 'Hartman Project' and its purpose?
-The 'Hartman Project' is Hershey's newest social impact program aimed at helping kids and teens build meaningful connections with one another and create more inclusive, empathetic communities, addressing issues of loneliness and social isolation.
How does the Hershey company carry forward Milton Hershey's legacy through the Milton Hershey School?
-The Milton Hershey School, founded by the company's founder, serves over 2,000 kids a year from disadvantaged homes, providing them with education and support to lead fulfilling and productive lives.
What is the significance of chocolate in the Hershey company's philosophy and its 125th anniversary?
-Chocolate has always been a symbol of connection between people for the Hershey company, and as they celebrate their 125th anniversary, they reflect on what makes them unique and special, emphasizing the role of chocolate in creating moments of goodness in people's lives.
How does the Hershey company approach partnerships to implement children's programming?
-The Hershey company partners with organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Harvard University, leveraging their expertise in children's programming and using Hershey's platform to take a stand on important issues and make a significant impact.
What is the Hershey company's stance on sustainability challenges and the role of stakeholders?
-The Hershey company acknowledges the increasing challenges in sustainability and the importance of all stakeholders coming together to solve them, emphasizing the need for collective action to move the sustainability agenda forward.
How does the Hershey company view its role in society beyond being a commercial success?
-The Hershey company sees itself as not just a force for commercial success but also as a force for good in society, with a commitment to sustainable practices and a legacy of doing the right thing for people, communities, and the planet.