The Hershey Co. has issued its latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, titled "Shared Goodness."

The report showcases the progress the company made in 2015 against a variety of priority issues. Continuing its momentum from 2014, last year the company made progress through a range of efforts supporting its commitments to responsible sourcing, ingredient transparency, simple ingredients, and environmental sustainability.

 “No trend impacts our industry more than consumers’ changing relationship with food, and this year we addressed consumer expectations better than ever before, starting with our commitment to simpler, more sustainable ingredients and greater transparency,” says John Bilbrey, chairman of the board, president, and ceo. “As we look to the future, we are proud of the goals we set and are confident that our efforts will continue to increase in quality and importance, creating value for our business and helping us have a more positive impact on the world.”

Key 2015 Hershey CSR achievements

Responsible Sourcing and Ingredient Selection

• Sourced 50 percent of cocoa used globally from certified, sustainable sources.
• Added a fifth Learn to Grow program which will train an additional 8,000 cocoa farmers on sustainable, modern farming to increase family incomes and improve community well-being.
• Traced 90 percent of palm oil purchases to the mill level and 10 percent to the plantation level as of mid-2015, moving toward 100 percent plantation level traceability by the end of 2016.
• Published the company position on animal welfare, including humane treatment of animals.
• Published a pulp and paper policy to help prevent deforestation.

Nourishing Minds

Hershey aligned social innovation with business objectives, creating the Nourishing Minds program. The program will leverage the company's food processing, production, and distribution expertise to provide children in need with the basic nutrition they require to learn and grow. The program offers employees opportunities to volunteer their technical skills to make a difference in local communities. The goal: nourish one million minds by 2020.

Food Quality, Safety, and Transparency

Hershey started to transition iconic products to simple, familiar ingredients and extended product transparency. The company spearheaded the development of SmartLabel QR-codes to give consumers easy access to more information about the food they eat, and became the first company in the United States to adopt the codes.

Environment, Health, and Safety Performance

The company combined its environmental, health, and safety departments into one for greater efficiency, accountability, and collaboration. It also signed the White House American Business Act on Climate Pledge and announced ambitious new 2025 climate goals that address greenhouse gas, water and waste.

Workforce Engagement and Excellence

The company focused on people as key differentiators, creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.

• Attracted and employed a diverse and talented workforce, including:
  • Women make up 45 percent of the company’s U.S. workforce, and 27 percent of its executive team are women.
  • 50 percent of the new Malaysia leadership team is female.
  • The global workforce  is composed of 36 percent Millennial generation employees.
  • Increased leadership roles held by minority employees at the Director level and above to 18.5 percent of U.S.-based employees.
• Signed the Pennsylvania Competes pledge to support the Pennsylvania Fairness Act to protect LGBT Pennsylvanians from discrimination.
• Established a goal to become an industry leader in diversity and inclusion by 2020.