Hershey’s Commitment to Human Rights
Hershey is committed to making more moments of goodness from the consumer, all the way down to the farmer and beyond.
For more than 125 years, we have operated our business understanding that we are integral members of the communities where we live and work. Our Human Rights Policy outlines our broader commitment to respect human rights throughout our value chain, including efforts to prevent and address modern slavery and forced labor.
The Policy, which is core to our sustainability strategy, was updated in 2023 in consultation with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, human rights groups, nonprofit organizations working in our raw material value chains, government representatives and labor organizations.
To learn more, read our policy, which is also available in French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese and Hindi.
Our Salient Issues
Our Human Rights Policy identifies and prioritizes the most significant human rights risks throughout our value chain. It has been developed using an intensive human rights saliency assessment, updated in 2022, that helps us better focus our policies and programs, so that we protect the rights and wellbeing of all participants in our supply chain. We conducted our assessment in line with the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights and with the assistance of an independent third party.
Among the broader human rights issues we identified, our most recent saliency process prioritized the following issues (in alphabetical order):
- Access to water and sanitation: Sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal use and sanitation services that are safe, physically accessible, and ensure privacy and dignity.
- Child labor: As defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), child labor is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development.
- Climate impacts and deforestation: The impacts of climate change and commodity-driven deforestation on people and communities.
- Forced labor: As defined by the ILO, this includes work or service that is obtained from any person under the threat of penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.
- Gender and social inequality: Equal human rights for historically marginalized groups including women and the BIPOC community, and those further marginalized based on intersecting identities.
- Health and safety: A safe and healthy workplace in both our own business and in our supply chains in line with applicable safety and health laws and in consultation with rightsholders.
- Land rights and acquisition: Customary land rights, including the fulfillment of respecting rights for Indigenous Peoples, local communities and farmers to give Free, Prior and Informed Consent, for acquisition and development.
- Living wage and income: A wage and or income level that allows all members of the household to afford a decent standard of living.
We consistently review and evolve our Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) systems and broader human rights programs to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
Read more about Hershey’s Human Rights Due Diligence
Forced Labor: As defined by the ILO, this includes work or service that is obtained from any person under the threat of penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.
Child Labor: As defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), child labor is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development.
Land rights and acquisition: Customary land rights, including the fulfillment of respecting rights for Indigenous Peoples, local communities and farmers to give Free, Prior and Informed Consent, for acquisition and development.
Access to water and sanitation: Sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal use and sanitation services that are safe, physically accessible, and ensure privacy and dignity.
Health and safety: A safe and healthy workplace in both our own business and in our supply chains in line with applicable safety and health laws and in consultation with rightsholders.
Living wage and income: A wage and or income level that allows all members of the household to afford a decent standard of living.
Climate impacts and deforestation: The impacts of climate change and commodity-driven deforestation on people and communities.
Gender and social inequality: Equal human rights for historically marginalized groups including women and the BIPOC community, and those further marginalized based on intersecting identities.
Energizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Hershey
The UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights require us to respect human rights in connection with our own operations and extended value chain. This includes looking at how Hershey can make the greatest impact on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace and our communities.
Read more about Hershey’s approach to diversity and inclusion
Learn more about our Responsible Sourcing Supplier Program and our Supplier Diversity Program
