Being a Responsible and Ethical Business
Operating as an ethical company is fundamental to how we build trust and what we stand for.
We are guided by a suite of carefully crafted policies and processes, developed to keep us competitive, prepared and resilient across our operations and supply chain. We are proud to be recognized among the World’s Most Ethical Companies as rated by Ethisphere, a global leader in advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success.
Our Code of Conduct (Code) guides our approach to ethical issues and our commitment to complying with relevant local and international regulations and policies. The Code details Hershey’s approach to anti-corruption, antitrust and whistleblower protection, and is published in 10 languages. Training on the Code is held biannually, with certification taking place in years where no training takes place. We also regularly review our position and processes to align with the changing regulatory landscape.
This work is never finished—best practices always evolve, and we are continually strengthening our approach and exploring leading standards to ensure that Hershey keeps pace.
Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct
Speak Up at Hershey
Hershey's internal and external stakeholders are encouraged to raise ethical concerns and ask questions through our reporting channels when they see or experience something that doesn’t follow our ethical business practices. One of the available reporting channels is the Concern Line, which provides phone and web intake options for employees and other stakeholders to ask Ethics & Compliance related questions and report unethical behavior. The Concern Line is available 24/7, operates in more than 60 countries and has toll-free numbers available in each of our locations. Concern Line phone numbers are available on the website. Should you have a question for our Consumer Relations team, please visit the Contact Us page.
“World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.
Governing Sustainability
Our sustainability governance model keeps us aligned on the most important issues facing the company. Accountability for managing sustainability across the enterprise sits with Hershey’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
Board of Directors
The full Board oversees our ESG strategies and priorities, along with the most important emerging ESG trends, risks and opportunities. ESG-related oversight responsibilities are divided among the Board’s committees, with oversight for ESG governance residing with the Governance Committee. Management and ESG leaders typically provide deep dives on ESG issues for the full Board at least once a year, with relevant committee updates occurring frequently throughout the year.
Executive Committee
Our CEO and her direct reports conduct at least quarterly reviews of our Shared Goodness Promise strategy, data and progress against our commitments and targets, as well as emerging ESG and sustainability challenges and opportunities.
ESG Advisory Committee
Established in 2021, this group of executive team members and senior leaders meets bimonthly to review ESG strategic direction and delivery, governance and proposed ESG-related investments. The committee reviews and provides input on key decisions related to our global ESG and sustainability programs, including review of enhanced disclosures and policy changes.
Disclosure Committee
Hershey’s Disclosure Committee, led by our Chief Accounting Officer and comprised of senior management in key functions, including our Chief Sustainability Officer, ensures that our public disclosures, including those related to ESG are consistent, accurate, complete and timely.
Sustainability Steering Committee
Composed of key business leaders and ESG subject matter experts, this cross-functional group meets bimonthly to evaluate ESG strategy effectiveness and interdependencies, provides input on investments to support ESG program deliverables and reviews progress toward goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to our global ESG and sustainability programs.
Global Sustainability Team
Led by our Chief Sustainability Officer, this team is composed of ESG experts and leaders from across the business who manage the strategy, implementation and reporting of our global ESG and sustainability initiatives. The Global Sustainability team communicates regularly with external stakeholders who provide valuable perspectives on our program decisions and focus.
Political Action Committee
Consistent with our Code, Hershey does not make political contributions using corporate funds and only engages in political giving through Hershey’s Political Action Committee (PAC). Funds raised through the PAC, which is made up of voluntary employee contributions, are used to support candidates for elected office who demonstrate a commitment to the growth of our business and the communities in which our employees live, and whose values and goals align with Hershey’s vision and Code of Conduct. All contributions are disbursed pursuant to our internal contribution guidelines and in accordance with applicable election laws.
Privacy Center of Excellence
As new and expanded data privacy rules are enacted around the globe, our Privacy Center of Excellence provides focused resources to ensure that we are well-prepared to comply with these emerging regulations. This cross-functional team is charged with designing and implementing appropriate technical, physical and administrative measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration or destruction.