Why Hershey is making big changes to its sustainability strategy

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-04-22. While the Reese’s maker has “made tremendous progress,” there is still “a ton of work to do” as consumers pay more attention to what they eat, a top executive said.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Hershey is transforming its sustainability playbook for the first time in years to reflect the Reese’s maker's deeper presence in salty snacks, as well as growing influence from regulators and consumers.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Whitney Mayer, head of global sustainability at Hershey, said that the changes reflect its evolving business model while meeting the “expectation that a company needs to take action and play a larger role” in food system resilience. “If you think about [new Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner] stepping in and this vision that we've set to lead next-generation snacking, we needed.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. The Almond Joy manufacturer’s sustainability strategy focuses on three areas: how they source their ingredients, make their iconic treats and snacks, and connect with consumers through their product offerings and packaging. Similar to other chocolate companies, Hershey is heavily reliant on agriculture for many of its key ingredients.