Hershey’s company promises a sustainable cocoa farming policy

Hershey, PA – The Hershey Company has announced that they are “committed to source 100 per cent certified sustainable cocoa by 2030,” on their corporate website.

The firm made a pledge to invest half a billion dollars U.S. as part of a sustainability program called Cocoa For Good. It plans to address issues such as poverty, poor nutrition and deforestation among cocoa growers, primarily in West Africa, where the majority of cocoa plantations are found.

Cocoa For Good also plans to “economically empower women” and “eliminate child labour” within their sustainable agroforestry mission, according to their website’s news centre.

“Cocoa is a tremendous part of the livelihoods for the people of Côte D’Ivoire and public-private partnerships are critical to improving the lives of people living in cocoa communities and protecting our precious natural resources,” said H.E. Daniel Kablan Duncan, Vice President of the Republic of Côte D’Ivoire, in a press release. “We value our partnership with The Hershey Company and look forward to working together to bring about the meaningful change that this new investment will catalyze.”