HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Hershey Co. was recognized as one of America's most community-minded companies in The Civic 50, an annual recognition for companies that are committed to making a difference in the communities where they do business. Hershey was recognized as No. 2 in the consumer staples industry, No. 4 for measuring impact and No. 5 among mid-cap companies.
The National Conference on Citizenship and Points of Light, experts on civic engagement, conducted the survey, which was published by Bloomberg News. This award comes on the heels of Hershey's inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indices.
"Being included in The Civic 50 speaks to the outstanding job our employees have done building upon our powerful legacy of caring for the community. It's exciting to be making a difference in communities across the country and around the world," said Mike Wege, senior vice president and chief growth and marketing officer. "We will continue to support innovative solutions to community challenges and leverage our core business competencies for good."
Hershey is focused on ways to leverage its business expertise in projects and programs that address social and community challenges. For example, in 2012 Hershey announced a partnership with Project Peanut Butter to make and distribute vitamin-enriched nutritional packets for malnourished children in rural Ghana. Hershey is funding and helping to build a factory in Ghana that produces "Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods" or RUTFs made from a peanut-based paste. This nutritional supplement has proven to be highly effective in saving lives for at risk children.
"The results of this year's Civic 50 survey show that even the most civically engaged companies are doing more to make community engagement a top priority and a permanent aspect of their business strategy," said Michael Weiser, chairman of the National Conference on Citizenship and Neil Bush, chairman of Points of Light, in a joint statement. "These 50 companies are showing others in the private sector how to boost the bottom line and make the world a better place."
Hershey is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Based in Hershey, Pa., Hershey has operations throughout the world and approximately 14,000 employees. With revenues of more than $6.6 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 80 brand names, including such brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Bliss, Hershey's Special Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers.
For more than 100 years, Hershey has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where its employees live, work and do business. Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of the company's global business strategy, which includes goals and priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and positively impacting society and local communities. Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and funded by a trust administered by Hershey Trust Company, provides a quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. Students of Milton Hershey School are direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company's success.
The Civic 50 was developed in partnership with a high-profile working group of lead researchers and industry thought leaders. Dozens of corporate advisors provided strategic guidance on the program's objectives, including defining indicators, developing methodology, and identifying partners and participants. As a result of this collaborative process, the initiative reflects leading insight and thinking about how corporations can and should engage with communities in a twenty-first century economy.
True Impact, a company specializing in helping organizations maximize and measure their social and business value, administered the survey. A cross-sector team of independent qualitative evaluators reviewed the responses.
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