Hershey breidt duurzaamheid van cacao uit over de hele toeleveringsketen

Adopt end-to-end traceability across the cocoa supply chain now and set a concrete November milestone to verify progress. This move directly improves sector transparency, mitigates risk for buyers, and lifts farmer livelihoods by tying payments to verified data.

Hershey expands sustainability reach by integrating smallholder programs with direct sourcing and cooperative networks, extending this approach to mills and traders. In collaboration with callebaut, the company standardizes audits, training, and data-sharing across origin countries, including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Ecuador, and Indonesia, another emerging origin in the program. The scale of this effort lowers verification costs while increasing feedback speed to farmers.

What happens next for stakeholders? Farmers gain predictable income from longer-term contracts, credit access, and targeted agronomy support. Suppliers see steadier volumes, better product quality, and clearer payment terms. Retail partners and consumers notice stronger perception of Hershey’s commitment, observable in product messaging and supplier certifications. The change also strengthens trade relationships by aligning incentives across the chain.

To seize opportunities, Hershey deploys digital tools for traceability and field-level monitoring, plus training programs that emphasize soil health, water use, and child-labor risk reduction. Including partnerships with farmer organizations, mills, and exporters, the effort aims to reduce reliance on opaque intermediaries and create a more resilient network with less volatility in price and supply.

In november, milestones anchor this expansion, with new origin partners, expanded farmer outreach, and enhanced data dashboards that quantify progress on motivation en interesse from several communities. By focusing on what matters–scale, transparency, and fair trade–the program broadens opportunities and improves perception among consumers, NGOs, and investors.

Hershey Cocoa Sustainability Across the Supply Chain: A Practical Plan

Start with a transparent, farmer-first sourcing plan that links input costs to farm-level outcomes and guarantees a fair share of value to the farms that grow the products.

Create a governance framework focusing on clear targets, and use globaldata to monitor yield, income, land health, and practice adoption across the chain; also clarify what input accelerates progress for farms.

Partnering with farmers, cooperatives, and buyers such as callebaut and hersheys accelerates the rollout of proven agronomic methods.

Develop forms of support that strengthen the business for farmers, including input credit, access to training, and fair trade terms that are acceptable to buyers.

Define the foundation: a shared standard for soil health, biodiversity, and worker wellbeing, then expand beyond the farm gate to processing and packaging.

Attach a performance dashboard to the supply chain, publish globaldata-driven updates, and provide a straightforward way for retailers to verify progress. This is important for traceability with partners.

Align product specifications with sustainable cocoa through close collaboration with callebaut and hersheys, ensuring continuity of supply and quality.

Invest in land stewardship on farms: shade trees, soil health, and diversified income streams to reduce risk and increase resilience.

Strengthen the trade network by building trusted partnerships with farmers, cooperatives, and exporters to improve price transparency and contract fairness.

Measure impact with proven metrics, compare against global benchmarks, and adjust plans annually to keep momentum.

With this foundation and a steady cadence of data, the world can expect a more stable supply of Hershey Cocoa products, while improving farmers’ livelihoods.

Companys across the globe can adopt these steps to advance cocoa sustainability in their supply chains.

End-to-End Traceability: Farm-to-Factory Visibility and Data Collection

Implement a centralized globaldata hub that captures farm-to-factory data in real time, with standardized inputs at origin, to provide a single source of truth for risk management, quality, and public trust across Hersheys’ supply chain.

Map every farming site, attach unique identifiers, and require farmers to report inputs through mobile or offline-capable devices. This work creates between-site visibility, reduces data gaps, and improves the accuracy of payments and inventories, benefiting them and the network as a whole.

Public interest and incomes rise when data is shared with appropriate privacy safeguards, enabling stakeholders to see provenance while protecting farmer anonymity where required. The approach includes training, clear data governance, and agreed criteria for data use, so everyone understands how inputs, outputs, and conditions drive product quality.

In November, hersheys announced a milestone to include input from parkin and callebaut to broaden scenarios for tracing and impact analysis. Cases from early pilots show proven benefits: faster response times in recalls, more precise forecasting, and stronger collaboration with farming groups, public health bodies, and retailers. These results were achieved by aligning incentives, streamlining data flows, and giving stakeholders access to globaldata dashboards that highlight trends, risks, and opportunities.

To accelerate progress over the next years, the plan focuses on scalable onboarding, shared data standards, and transparent reporting. The execution includes detailed farming profiles, standardized input codes, and a public-facing summary of improvements, ensuring everyone from smallholders to large buyers can follow the path from farming to finished products.

Deforestation Commitments: Tracking, Verification, and Timelines

Adopt a centralized, independent tracking and verification system with public milestones to reduce deforestation across the cocoa supply. The plan assigns clear accountability within Hershey’s network and sets time-bound targets that teams can act on now.

Tracking relies on globaldata, satellite change detection, on-the-ground audits, and farmer and producer reporting. These inputs measure forest cover, degradation, and land conversion across cocoa regions, including african communities and farming groups working with producers and other partners. This work informs where to focus effort, what to adjust, and how to scale proven practices.

Verification uses third-party auditors, with sampled checks and annual follow-ups. We publish results to transparent dashboards, enabling communities and farmers to see progress and gaps. When a parcel triggers risk, a corrective action plan follows within six to twelve months and tracks completion, including soil restoration and shade-tree improvements on degraded fields.

Timelines establish concrete milestones: a 2025 baseline, yearly progress checks, and a 2030 target for reduced deforestation in key supply zones. The plan emphasizes improved agroforestry, smarter land use, and reduced expansion into forested areas tied to palm or other crops. The approach flags parkin parcels–idle or unproductive spaces–and directs them toward productive use or restoration, with another round of improvements as needed to keep supply steady and resilient for farmers and communities.

Hershey applies a holistic framework that links forest protection with livelihoods. It supports farmer training, access to finance, and market incentives so that sustainable farming continues to grow. The approach connects african farmers with transparent data, improving decision making and fostering change across the supply chain. Globaldata feeds ongoing assessments to develop stronger safeguards, reduce degradation, and boost yields over time for producers and their communities.

To accelerate results, the companys sustainability team will mandate quarterly reviews, publish performance by supplier and community, and share best practices. Doing proactive forest protection on farms, improving shade management, and restoring degraded lands are included in the plan to drive change across the supply chain and support farmers in african regions.

Scaling Smallholder Support: Training, Certification, and Income Improvement

Launch a scalable program that bundles training, certification, and income support for smallholders, starting with a 12-month plan that trains 8,000 producers across 6 regions and links certification to premium cocoa prices, creating opportunities to improve livelihoods beyond basic harvests.

Focus on practical modules: agroforestry practices for shade-grown cocoa, soil health, pest management, post-harvest handling, process quality, and financial literacy. Pair classroom sessions with on-farm coaching, field days, and peer networks to build motivation and share best practices. Certification should align with international standards and be validated by trusted third parties; this helps producers access higher price bands and lowers verification costs.

Link training to income gains by establishing savings groups, microcredit with favorable terms, and access to higher-value buyers. Use a stepwise ladder so producers move from basic to premium segments. Frequent feedback loops track progress, adjust curricula, and increase household resilience. This approach helps communities and their families reach a broader set of opportunities and reduces reliance on volatile harvest cycles, protecting children from income shocks.

Build a foundation with local cooperatives, extension services, and civil society to scale. Create a governance routine with quarterly reviews, field visits, and transparent data sharing. In november, mars and Hershey rolled out joint audits to ensure supplier compliance with standards across supply chains. Engage leaders such as charles from the program’s field team to strengthen trust within communities and among producers.

Implement a measurement framework that tracks changes in yields, income, and standards compliance; use a dashboard to monitor progress monthly; scale to additional communities once pilots show significant increases in producer income and female and youth engagement. By focusing on foundation-level capacity and long-term motivation, the program continues to grow beyond initial sites and increases producer income over time, unlocking substantial potential across cocoa-growing regions.

Collaborative Initiatives Across Major Players: Cargill, Mars, Nestlé, Mondelez

Recommendation: establish a joint governance council across Cargill, Mars, Nestlé, and companys to standardize cocoa-sourcing metrics, share intelligence, address risk, and drive sector change. A november kickoff should align with international norms, and a director from each company will lead the effort, the director said. The collaboration will include mondelez to ensure together that thats a unified approach across the industry.

• Governance and intelligence sharing: Create a unified council with a director from each company to oversee a shared intelligence platform that tracks supplier risk, farm productivity, and compliance across key sourcing regions; this approach brings together mondelez and others, and thats the intent of the collaboration.
• Sector risk mapping: Map african cocoa belts and land use, including land and tree cover, to identify priority hotspots and reduce issues; the joint program targets ending harmful practices and improving transparency within the supply chain.
• Child protection and community program: Address children in cocoa communities by a shared program with measurable milestones and annual reporting; partners were pleased with momentum and transparency.
• Standards harmonization: Align sustainability criteria for products, including callebaut’s supply-chain requirements, reducing duplication in the sector; rely on clmrs for traceability and enable cross-border reporting by mondelez and other multi-nationals.
• Uitbreiding van de leveringsbasis en focus op het inkomen van boeren: Breid de betrokkenheid uit tot buiten de grote fabrieken, met inbegrip van kleine boeren en door vrouwen geleide coöperaties; volg de resultaten binnen twee jaar en rapporteer over de voortgang als onderdeel van het programma.
• Traceerbaarheid en productmapping: cacaoboerderijen koppelen aan eindproducten via clmrs; gegevens over land, bomen en de oorsprong van de boerderij vastleggen om verkeerde etikettering te verminderen en het vertrouwen van de consument te versterken; problemen in toeleveringsketens aanpakken en zorgen voor een nauwkeurige etikettering van producten.
• Internationale coördinatie en rapportage: Publiceer een jaarlijks, openbaar voortgangsrapport met driemaandelijkse updates; dat de inspanning verantwoordelijk houdt tegenover overheden, het maatschappelijk middenveld en consumenten, en de sector positioneert als een nieuwe standaard voor verantwoorde cacao, samen met multinationals zoals Mondelez.

Tariefverschuivingen: implicaties voor de cacao-aankoop en financiële planning

Handel nu om een holistisch raamwerk voor tarief risico's op te zetten dat de cacao-inkoop beschermt. Bouw een basis die input van globaldata, ngo's en publiek-private samenwerking combineert om tariefblootstelling per oorsprong in kaart te brengen en praktische actiestappen te identificeren.

Tariefwijzigingen hebben invloed op verschillende contactpunten in de cacaowaardeketen. Ze veranderen de prijzen af boerderij, belasten inputkosten en hervormen de internationale logistiek. Procurement-systemen moeten zich snel aanpassen; in verscheidene gevallen hielden publiek-private coalities die data deelden en leveranciersaudits coördineerden, de volatiliteit beheersbaar. Implementeer een real-time dashboard dat tarieven per herkomst bijhoudt en voer drie scenario's uit - basis, uplift en shock - om sourcingbeslissingen en kostenbeheersing te begeleiden. Ze leveren een duidelijke input voor industriële planning en veerkracht van de landbouw in wereldwijde markten.

Implementeer voor financiële planning een scenario-gebaseerde budgettering die rekening houdt met tariefschijven per land. Dit kader, opgesteld door multidisciplinaire teams van treasury en sourcing, is gericht op hedging, diversificatie van de herkomst en een 'living library' met input van ngo's, multinationals en samenwerking met leveranciers. Deze aanpak maakt gebruik van globaldata om aannames te valideren en verborgen kosten op te sporen. Zo kunnen ze de inkoopstrategieën snel aanpassen om de marges intact te houden.

Implementatiestappen omvatten het in kaart brengen van tarieflijnen, het uitvoeren van what-if analyses en het afstemmen met boerderijen en verwerkingsfaciliteiten binnen enkele kwartalen. Bouw een governance circle die bedrijven en leveranciers omvat voor transparantie. Hanteer een holistische aanpak om KPI's te monitoren: prijsdoorberekening, veerkracht van leveranciers en boerderijinkomsten, met halfjaarlijkse openbare rapportage. Dit versterkt de samenwerking tussen de industrie, publiek-private initiatieven en internationale normen. De basis blijft het bestrijden van volatiliteit en het waarborgen van maatschappelijk verantwoorde sourcing.

Ga dieper met GlobalData: Aanbevolen leesvoer en datasignalen

Aanbeveling: Stem Hershey's werk aan cacaoduurzaamheid af op drie signalen van GlobalData: traceerbaarheid op ketenniveau van handel en ingrediënten van boerderij tot fabriek, NGO-resultaten in Ivoriaanse gemeenschappen en marktgegevens over de volatiliteit van de cacaoprijs evenals grensoverschrijdende handelsstromen. Gebruik deze signalen om de komende twee jaar vorm te geven en de voortgang te meten in de richting van het mondiale doel van verantwoorde inkoop.

GlobalData-analyses tonen aan dat de betrokkenheid van leveranciers en de acceptatie van normen de komende jaren meer resultaat opleveren dan welk afzonderlijk programma dan ook. De opgenomen secties behandelen governance, samenwerking met stakeholders en praktijkvoorbeelden waarin teams samenwerkten om hardnekkige uitdagingen aan te pakken, waaronder het uitbannen van kinderarbeid. De door directeuren geleide vergaderfrequentie combineert input van stakeholders, NGO's en leveranciers om de strategie af te stemmen op de resultaten in het veld, terwijl Ivoriaanse gemeenschappen een focus blijven voor onderwijs en levensonderhoud.

Aanbevolen lectuur van GlobalData:

• GlobalData Cocoa Sustainability Report 2024: transparantiemetingen van de keten, adoptiepercentages van standaarden en casestudies uit West-Afrika.
• GlobalData West-Afrikaanse Cacao Handelssignalen: prijsvolatiliteit, vrachtduur en metrics voor havencongestie.
• GlobalData NGO Collaboration Case Studies: beoordelingen van programma's voor kinderbescherming en resultaten van onderwijs in Ivoriaanse gemeenschappen.
• GlobalData Ingrediëntentrends voor chocolade: aanvoer van cacao-ingrediënten, certificeringen en kwaliteitsbenchmarks in de hele toeleveringsketen.
• GlobalData Corporate Governance en Betrokkenheid van Belanghebbenden: vergaderfrequentie, input van belanghebbenden en toezichtstatistieken van bestuurders.

Te monitoren datasignalen:

1. Diepte van traceerbaarheid in de keten: percentage bonen met traceergegevens van boerderij tot fabriek; streefwaarde 85–95% tegen 2026, met driemaandelijkse updates.
2. Risico op en herstel van kinderarbeid: aantal gemelde gevallen, aantal afgesloten zaken en trainingsuren per kind; jaar-op-jaar verbeteringen.
3. Naleving van normen binnen het leveranciersbestand: aandeel directe leverancierscontracten die voldoen aan wereldwijde en interne normen; doel 70% tegen het einde van het jaar en stijgend naar 85% in de daaropvolgende twee jaar.
4. NGO's en betrokkenheid van belanghebbenden: aantal gezamenlijke vergaderingen per jaar; actieve partnerschappen en gezamenlijke projecten in Ivoriaanse gemeenschappen.
5. Handels- en prijssignalen: volatiliteitsindex cacaoprijzen, hedge-dekking en noodplannen voor inkoop om het risico te verminderen.
6. Ingrediënten en kwaliteit: aantal leveranciers van ingrediënten met certificeringen; kwaliteitspercentage en meetgegevens over leverancierscontinuïteit.
7. Tussen producenten en fabrikanten: governance-indicatoren, afstemming van contractduur en doorlooptijden voor geschillenbeslechting.