Hershey’s commitment to improving cocoa farmer livelihoods and ensuring a long-term sustainable cocoa supply is unwavering. Solving the many challenges within cocoa production, such as low incomes, poverty, child labor and environmental protection will be possible only through collaboration and cooperation across industry, governments, and civil society. We value our longtime mutual collaboration and partnership with the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana to advance our shared goals.

As part of this partnership, Hershey supports and is fully participating in the Living Income Differential (LID) for our ongoing and substantial cocoa purchases from the 2020/2021 Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana crops, and for future crops, as an important means to support the livelihoods of all cocoa farmers. We have communicated this requirement with our cocoa suppliers and confirmed that they have and will continue to pay the LID.

We also appreciate the opportunity to continue our sustainability programs in West Africa, recognizing that these programs complement and strengthen efforts to positively impact cocoa-growing communities. We will continue our focus on child labor monitoring and remediation, farmer training, environmental protection, and providing childhood nutritional supplements. These programs, along with the benefits provided by the LID and the price premium for our 100% certified and sustainable cocoa, all work together to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and their families.