HERSHEY, Pa. -- J.P. Bilbrey, president and CEO of The Hershey Co., has been named a 2014 Responsible CEO of the Year Award winner by Corporate Responsibility Magazine. The awards are presented to CEOs across industries who visibly exceed standards in the areas of employee relations, environmental impact, human rights, philanthropy and corporate responsibility practices.
"I'm honored to receive this award, but it really reflects the great work and deep commitment of our remarkable employees around the world," said Bilbrey. "Doing the right thing for society and our communities has been embedded in the culture of our company since its founding more than 120 years ago. It has been humbling to see our employees living the century-old truth of 'doing well by doing good.' That passion is reflected in the results of our many efforts to bring goodness to the world in how we operate our business and how we give back to those in need."
During the past three years, Bilbrey has led Hershey through substantial progress in its global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. Hershey's CSR excellence earned the company recognition in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indexes. Earlier this month, Hershey was named to the DJSI North America Index for the third year in a row and to the World Index for the second year.
The award recognizes Hershey's progress across a wide range of socially responsible areas. For example, during the past several years, the company has made substantial progress in environmental sustainability. The company has also been a top-tier performer for workplace safety and launched significant employee well-being programs and other employee engagement efforts that help create a superior employee value proposition.
Hershey also has been recognized for its ethical sourcing programs, including its CocoaLink program that helps improve the lives and livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities in West Africa.
All award winners were nominated by fellow members of the CR community and selected by an independent judging panel comprised of previous winners and other industry leaders.
In determining the winners, judges considered several dimensions, including the scope of the CEO's impact on their organization and community, the extent to which the CEO drove this initiative, and the individual reputation or professional risk taken by the CEO.
"In a business landscape where transparency, authenticity and social impact must be embedded within one's corporate culture and supply chain, we are pleased to highlight this stellar group of CEOs and their organizations," said Elliot Clark, CEO of SharedXpertise, the publisher of CR Magazine. "These leaders remain tirelessly committed to creating and maintaining a responsible culture and supply chain and this year's recognition is simply a reflection of that commitment."
CR Magazine is the voice of the corporate responsibility profession covering case studies, best practices, and trends in the five primary segments of the CR profession: governance, risk and compliance; environmental sustainability; corporate social responsibility; philanthropy; and workforce and diversity.
The 2014 award winners will be honored at CR Magazine's Responsible CEO of the Year Awards Dinner taking place at the COMMIT!Forum on Thursday, Oct. 9 in New York.
The Hershey Co., based in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader offering chocolate, sweets, mints and other snacks. The company, which has more than 80 brands worldwide that drive more than $7.1 billion in annual revenues, includes such brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers.
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