The Hershey Company Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Index
Hershey joins world's leading companies for top-tier economic, environmental and social performance
HERSHEY, Pa., October 3, 2013 /3BL Media/ – The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today announced that it has been selected to both the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Index.
Hershey is one of only 13 companies from the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry in the World Index and ranked in at least the 90th percentile in each of the three categories of Economic, Environmental and Social criteria. This is the second year in a row Hershey has been included in the North America Index and the first year Hershey has been named to the World Index.
Hershey’s selection to the prestigious World Index reflects the company’s substantial progress in its global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. One example where the company made significant progress in the past year is the category of water management. Recognizing that water utilization represented an opportunity for improvement, Hershey’s operations team and its Water Resource Council engaged manufacturing employees to identify and act upon opportunities to reduce the company’s water footprint and elevate the focus on addressing water utilization in the manufacturing facilities. Other factors included the opening of the highly water-efficient West Hershey manufacturing plant and third-party audits and analysis that resulted in the Hershey’s engineering team installing the latest in water saving technology.
“Hershey’s inclusion in the World Index is a clear validation of our continued and accelerated progress in all aspects of social responsibility,” said Terry O’Day, Senior Vice President Chief Supply Chain Officer.. “We are pleased that we delivered improvements in each category, resulting in balanced results across each area of the DJSI scorecard.”
The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) are determined by SAM (Sustainable Asset Management), in partnership with the S&P and Dow Jones Indices. They are the first global sustainability benchmarks that track the financial performance and sustainable business practices of the world’s leading companies using economic, environmental and social criteria.
The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index was launched in September 1999 and tracks the performance of the top 10 percent of the 2,500 largest companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index that lead the field in terms of sustainability. DJSI North America launched in September 2005 and represents the top 20 percent of the 600 largest companies in the North America Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market. More information on the DJSI is available at: http://www.sustainability-indices.com/
Hershey’s heritage of engaging with consumers and communities began with the company’s founding nearly 120 years ago when Milton Hershey established a tradition of ethical business practices and giving back to our communities and employees. Hershey continues these traditions through its Corporate Social Responsibility Framework that guides the company’s actions in the Environment, Marketplace, Community and Workplace.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company 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 iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Bliss, Hershey's Special Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers. The company is focused on growing its presence in key international markets such as China, Mexico and Brazil while continuing to build its competitive advantage in the United States and Canada.
For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company 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.
