HERSHEY, Pa., May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) has been named a 2024 honoree of The Civic 50, a recognition of the top community-minded companies in the United States according to an annual survey by Points of Light, the world's largest nonprofit dedicated to accelerating people-powered change. Hershey was also named the Consumer Staples leader for the third year in a row and received the Volunteer Leader Award for having the leading volunteer culture and embracing volunteerism as a priority for civic engagement.

"Hershey is committed to business excellence, long-term resilience and making a positive impact for the planet and people," said Leigh Horner, chief sustainability officer for The Hershey Company. "Our philanthropic giving programs and employee volunteerism are key pillars of the strong culture that enables us to delight consumers with our beloved snacking brands."

Hershey's programs support a variety of community needs, such as education and workforce development, advancement of inclusive economic development, and youth programs that support social and emotional well-being. In addition to philanthropic giving and product-donation programs, Hershey employees show up for their communities by donating funds and volunteering for the causes they care about. In 2023, Hershey employees volunteered nearly 130,000 hours and raised more than $1.6M in matched giving.

For more than a decade, The Civic 50 has served as the national standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how leading companies are moving social impact and community to the core of their business. Civic 50 honorees are companies with annual U.S. revenues of at least $1 billion and are selected based on four dimensions of their corporate citizenship and social impact programs: investment of resources and volunteerism, integration across business functions, institutionalization through policies, and systems and impact measurement.

Hershey has been named to The Civic 50 every year since it was created in 2012. The Civic 50 survey is administered by True Impact, and the results are analyzed by VeraWorks. The survey instrument consists of quantitative and multiple-choice questions that inform the scoring process. The Civic 50 is the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate community engagement.

To view a complete list of The Civic 50 companies, visit civic50.org.

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet, and communities. Hershey has more than 20,000 employees in the U.S. and worldwide who work daily to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 90 brand names in approximately 80 countries that drive more than $11.2 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers, and salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.

For over 130 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically, and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909, and since then, the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

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About Points of Light
Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through 145 affiliates across 39 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 3.7 million people in 16.7 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it's needed most. For more information, visit pointsoflight.org.

SOURCE The Hershey Company