The Hershey Company announced that 18% of all the cocoa the company sourced globally in 2013 was certified.
January 28/Hershey, Pa./Business Wire -- The Hershey Company announced that 18% of all the cocoa the company sourced globally in 2013 was certified, nearly double the company’s original 2013 goal of 10%. With nearly one-fifth of cocoa sourced through sustainable practices, Hershey is on track to meet its goal of sourcing 100% certified cocoa by 2020. The company’s next certification milestone is to reach between 40-50% of all cocoa purchased globally by 2016.
“We are proud of our substantial progress in our first year of this important initiative to advance the well-being of cocoa-producing communities,” said Terence O’Day, senior vice president and chief supply chain officer. “This is just one of many initiatives through local NGOs, national governments and development agencies to address child labor and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers around the world. These projects include leadership and economic training for women farmers, literacy, health and farm safety programs as well as the recent opening of a Hershey-supported primary school in western Ivory Coast.”