Hershey's
Partly verified✓ Checks its own supply chain. Hershey's actively looks for problems such as child or forced labour, publishes what it finds and works to fix it. That openness is uncommon, so problems it finds and reports itself are shown below but don't count against its grade.
Hershey's isn't doing enough to protect workers: workers in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are very unlikely to earn a living wage, and workers have limited protection of their rights. It does have some safeguards, as it reports and fixes child labour cases it finds.
Last researched 7 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 1 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 1
- Does not pay a living wage
Where it's made
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire 60% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ghana 40% | Some protections | Well below a living wage | Low |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- An estimated 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, and most cocoa farmers earn well below a living income.
- Reports child labour cases found and fixed
- Invests in worker and farming communities
- Modern slavery statement
Hershey sources most of its cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where the US Department of Labor lists cocoa as produced with child labour. Its Cocoa For Good programme says child labour monitoring covers 95% of its cocoa volumes there, and it reports how many children were identified and how many have left harmful work, alongside school kits, classroom repairs and an income accelerator programme for about 3,500 farming families. A 2023 shareholder proposal noted that only 68% of its cocoa was traceable to known farmers and that its living income position lacks a time-bound plan; it scored 60% (mid-tier) in the 2025 Chocolate Scorecard.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Scorecard | Found | Scored 60% overall in the 2025 Chocolate Scorecard, in the 'starting to develop good policies' band. View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | Cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, Hershey's main sources, is on the US DOL child labour list. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Found | Tracks the forced child labour lawsuit against Hershey and other cocoa companies, whose appeal was rejected. View ↗ |
| KnowTheChain | Unclear | Hershey has a scorecard in the 2023 KnowTheChain food and beverage benchmark. View ↗ |
Confirmed issues
Problems confirmed by a court, regulator, completed investigation or the company itself. Issues more than 15 years old, or 10–15 years old where the company made amends, are removed. Problems a company finds and publishes itself, and is fixing, are shown but don't count against it.
| When | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hershey's own child labour monitoring found 10,631 children doing inappropriate or hazardous work in its Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana cocoa supply chain, as reported by the company for 2024. Found and being fixed by the company Not counted against the grade, because the company found and published it itself. | Partly 7,428 of the children identified no longer do hazardous work. |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- A 2021 US lawsuit by eight Malian men alleged that Hershey, Nestlé, Mars, Mondelez, Cargill, Barry Callebaut and Olam profited from forced child labour on Ivorian cocoa farms; it was dismissed in 2022 and the appeal was rejected in 2025 because the plaintiffs could not link specific farms to the companies. Source ↗
Sources (8)
- Hershey: Child Labor · archived copy · CLMRS covers 95% of cocoa volumes in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana; 10,631 children identified in inappropriate work and 7,428 no longer engaged; school kits, birth certificates and classrooms in 2024.
- What cocoa sustainability means at Hershey · archived copy · 68% sourcing visibility to known farmers in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana; target of 100% by 2025; commitment that farmers can earn a living income without figures.
- Hershey Releases 2024 Responsible Business Report · archived copy · Income Accelerator programme reached 3,492 farming families in 2024; five-year agreement with nine Ivorian cooperatives.
- ICCR: Hershey living income shareholder proposal · archived copy · 2023 proposal said Hershey had 68% farm-level visibility and its living wage and income statement lacked a time-bound commitment; it received 3.6% support.
- 2025 Chocolate Scorecard companies · archived copy · Hershey's scored 60% overall in the 2025 Chocolate Scorecard (starting to develop good policies band).
- Hershey, Nestle, other cocoa companies defeat appeal of child slavery lawsuit · archived copy · US appeals court rejected the Malian plaintiffs' forced child labour lawsuit against Hershey and others in 2025, after a 2022 dismissal.
- HSY Statement Against Human Trafficking and Slavery · archived copy · Hershey publishes a statement against slavery and human trafficking.
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor · archived copy · Cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana is listed as produced with child labour (2024 list).
Last researched 7 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.