Hershey Company
Julie Will
Professor M
Marketing Principles MGMT 200-004
19 September 2014
The company I have found that has social responsibility deeply rooted in it’s strategy is The Hershey Company. The Hershey Company is enormously significant as it has operations in over 90 countries. Hershey’s mission statement is “Continuing Milton Hershey’s legacy of commitment to consumers, community and children, we provide high-quality HERSHEY’S products while conducting our business in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner.” The Hershey Company is the largest North American manufacturer of chocolate and sugar products. The revenues are close to five billion dollars. The Hershey Company has created “iconic” brands such as Reese’s and Hershey’s Kisses. Hershey’s products include several types of candy, syrups, and snacks. Through my reading of the chapter of social responsibility and of various articles pertaining to The Hershey Company, I have found that this company holds very true to their ethics and that this is a great reason for their success. For over fifty years, Hershey has been a major buyer of cocoa beans from West Africa. Through this, Hershey has greatly assisted West African family cocoa farmers and communities. The aim of Hershey’s 21st Century Cocoa Sustainability Strategy is to “modernize cocoa farming to increase farmer incomes, attract new farmers and improve cocoa growing communities”. Because this strategy to modernize cocoa is challenging, Hershey has developed two sustainability programs (called CocoaLink and Hershey Learn to Grow). It has also developed large-scale initiatives with partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Modernization can double the income for West African cocoa farmers. CocoaLink is a program that delivers practical agricultural and social information to West African cocoa farmers. This information is delivered at no cost through mobile technology. Hershey Learn to Grow
Professor M
Marketing Principles MGMT 200-004
19 September 2014
The company I have found that has social responsibility deeply rooted in it’s strategy is The Hershey Company. The Hershey Company is enormously significant as it has operations in over 90 countries. Hershey’s mission statement is “Continuing Milton Hershey’s legacy of commitment to consumers, community and children, we provide high-quality HERSHEY’S products while conducting our business in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner.” The Hershey Company is the largest North American manufacturer of chocolate and sugar products. The revenues are close to five billion dollars. The Hershey Company has created “iconic” brands such as Reese’s and Hershey’s Kisses. Hershey’s products include several types of candy, syrups, and snacks. Through my reading of the chapter of social responsibility and of various articles pertaining to The Hershey Company, I have found that this company holds very true to their ethics and that this is a great reason for their success. For over fifty years, Hershey has been a major buyer of cocoa beans from West Africa. Through this, Hershey has greatly assisted West African family cocoa farmers and communities. The aim of Hershey’s 21st Century Cocoa Sustainability Strategy is to “modernize cocoa farming to increase farmer incomes, attract new farmers and improve cocoa growing communities”. Because this strategy to modernize cocoa is challenging, Hershey has developed two sustainability programs (called CocoaLink and Hershey Learn to Grow). It has also developed large-scale initiatives with partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Modernization can double the income for West African cocoa farmers. CocoaLink is a program that delivers practical agricultural and social information to West African cocoa farmers. This information is delivered at no cost through mobile technology. Hershey Learn to Grow