Diversity and Inclusion the Hershey Way: What Does It Mean to You?

It’s easy for an organization to say they want a more diverse and inclusive workplace, but what does that actually mean and why does it matter? Some might say it’s about having a workforce that encompasses individuals of different backgrounds and experiences; some might say that diversity of thoughts and ideas help to build a more collaborative work environment. Others might say that it’s important for a company’s workforce to reflect the customers and communities that support their business. Now more than ever, companies are taking a long, hard look at the role diversity and inclusion plays in helping them achieve success.

At Hershey, we believe that all of these things are important in building a strong foundation for inclusion. Diversity and inclusion should be ingrained in everything an organization does, it is a behavior; not a business project. At Hershey we have created an “innovation everywhere” mindset across our organization. This includes (but certainly is not limited to) bringing together people with diversity of thought, interest, skill and experience. We strive to seek out and embrace different perspectives in everything we do. Additionally, we want to establish an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and insights because that makes us more innovative and competitive.

We are excited to share some accomplishments we recently received as a result of our diversity and inclusion efforts. Notable achievements include DiversityInc’s “25 Noteworthy Companies,” DiversityInc’s Top 10 Companies for Veterans, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2016 Corporate Equality Index’s “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality,” and the National Organization on Disability (NOD) Seal for increasing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We are proud of our diversity and inclusion work, and are honored that these organizations recognized us as a leader in this space.

However, we know we can do more. We aspire to be a global leader in diversity and inclusion by 2020, continuing to champion equity for all employees in all parts of the world where we do business.

 In the end, the accolades listed above are just a start. Our capabilities as an organization rely on innovation and to do that, we are determined to continue building a diverse and engaging environment within our company. That’s inclusion in action, cultivating a sustainable business and nurturing our current and future leaders. We will continue to be progressive in this area and continue on our path of being a global leader in diversity and inclusion.

For more information on Hershey’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, visit https://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/responsibility.html.