The Hershey Co. Recognized for Diversity Initiatives

HERSHEY, Pa. — DiversityInc named The Hershey Co. No. 3 on its Top 50 Companies for Diversity annual list. 

Hershey's efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are guided by the Pathways Project, the company's five-year plan to make Hershey more diverse and inclusive by bringing in a wider range of talent and perspectives, recognizing and developing talent, and showing up for consumers and communities in new ways. One of the key methods to implementing this strategy has been the company's business resource groups, which operate throughout the organization.

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The candy and snack maker's latest initiatives include the Future CEO program and Say Hola, and enhanced supplier diversity programs.

"At Hershey, we know that diversity, equity and inclusion are key to long-term success — not just for our workforce but for the communities where we live and work," said Alicia Petross, chief diversity officer at Hershey. "Recognition on DiversityInc's flagship list — amongst best-in-class champions of DEI — reaffirms and fuels our commitment to advance these initiatives."     

Notable results from Hershey's DEI initiatives also include:

• Diversified representation and leadership, with its current board of directors consisting of 58 percent diverse representation and a global workforce with near 50 percent gender parity.   
• A targeted goal to quadruple its investments with diverse suppliers by 20230.    
• A 1:1 gender pay equity (achieved in 2019) and a 1:1 aggregate people of color pay equity for salaried employees on an aggregated basis in the U.S. (achieved in 2021). By 2025, Hershey strives to achieve aggregate dollar-for-dollar pay equity for salaried employees worldwide.         
• Accessible and equitable work environments achieved through investment in employee development programs and adapting facilities to accommodate different needs, including the company's first U.S. bilingual manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pa. 

The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity is empirically driven and based on 2022 company-submitted data in these six key areas: Leadership Accountability, Human Capital Diversity Metrics, Talent Programs, Workforce Practices, Supplier Diversity and Philanthropy. 

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Pennsylvania-based The Hershey Co. has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries that drive more than $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.