Hershey to Source 100% Certified Cocoa by 2020

The Hershey Company on October 3 said it will source 100 percent certified cocoa for its global chocolate product lines by 2020 and accelerate its programs to help eliminate child labor in the cocoa regions of West Africa.
This decision comes after more than two years of “Raise the Bar, Hershey!” Campaign calling on Hershey to address child labor issues in its supply chain.

As Hershey increases its use of certified cocoa, the company will also continue to support community-based programs with local African partners, national governments and development agencies.

These projects include village school construction, mobile phone farmer messaging, literacy and health programs and training in modern farming techniques.

Currently, certified cocoa accounts for less than five percent of the world’s cocoa supply. As the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America, Hershey believes its 2020 purchasing commitment should significantly expand the global supply of certified cocoa, particularly from West Africa, which produces about 70 percent of the world’s cocoa.

As announced earlier this year, Hershey’s Bliss chocolates will be Rainforest Alliance certified (and sadly enough not Fairtrade) and available to consumers by year end. Hershey’s Dagoba organic chocolate is currently 100 percent Rainforest Alliance certified. Hershey also said today that its Scharffen Berger brand will source 100 percent certified cocoa by the end of 2013.

Hershey has set a community programming target to reach more than two million West Africans in cocoa villages through its public/private partnerships and programs.  

According to the Raise the bar campaign : "To truly address child labor, Hershey needs to make sure it is certifying all of its cocoa Fair Trade, the only certification that adequately addresses the Worst Forms of Child Labor. Hershey should certify and label one of its top-selling, brand name bars Fair Trade within the next year, and should certify and label all of its chocolates Fair Trade by 2020."
     

- For more information about Hershey's cocoa sustainability programs in West Africa, please see: www.HersheyCocoaSustainability.com.
- Statement of the Raise the bar, Hershey! campaign