Hershey and Social Responsibility

Last week, the Hershey company released its Corporate Social Responsibility Report. Like many of such reports, it’s full of pretty pictures and statistics. What it does not mention is that Hershey is the only large chocolate maker in the US which has not yet participated in some form of third party certification for sourcing its cocoa. I’m not talking fair trade here, I’m talking any form of third party certification.

The folks at the International Labor Rights Forum have released their own report and it highlights four areas in which Hershey should make dramatic changes:

  • Sourcing – Hershey has no system in place to ensure that its cocoa is not produced with abusive child labor;
  • Transparency – Hershey does not reveal its cocoa suppliers, making verification impossible;
  • Greenwashing – Hershey points to is donations, but, again, there’s not system in place to address child labor;
  • Certification – Hershey has refused to enter into any certification, only a few of its Dagoba line bars are certified.

Given its long history of concern for  working people and the social conscience of its founder, it remains a puzzle why Hershey is not doing the right thing when it comes to sourcing cocoa from certified reputable sources.

Tomorrow is World Day Against Child Labor

ILO Poster
ILO Poster

Saturday is World Day Against Child Labor. Inaugurated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), this year’s day celebrates the tenth anniversary of the the adoption of ILO Convention 182, the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

The International Labor Rights Fund urges you to call Hershey and let the company know how you feel about the fact that, unlike other chocolate companies, it has refused to participate in any certification program or institute fair labor practices along its supply chain.

CALL HERSHEY AT 1-800-468-1714.

Here is a sample script:
Hi, my name is ___ and I’m calling from ____.  This Saturday is World Day against Child Labor.  As a Hershey consumer, I’m very concerned about the continued use of child labor, forced labor and trafficking in West Africa’s cocoa industry as well as the way Hershey’s factory workers are treated globally.  I want to know that all the workers who had a hand in making my chocolate – from bean to bar – were treated fairly.  Will Hershey take this opportunity to be more transparent about your supply chain and do more to protect worker rights?

World’s Largest Chocolate Plant to Close

Hershey Plant
Hershey Plant

The Hershey company announced at the end of May that it will close its famous plant at 19 E. Chocolate Ave in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The plant, for one hundred and six years, the core of the Hershey chocolate empire, will be converted to administrative offices. About six hundred of the one thousand or so workers at the plant will be transferred to an expanded facility in West Hershey.

Continue reading “World’s Largest Chocolate Plant to Close”