Investment in U.S. Manufacturing Results in
Highly Qualified Employees, Improved Retention and Equity
HERSHEY,
Pa., Dec. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hershey
Company (NYSE:HSY) announced today its first bilingual
manufacturing facility. Through the launch of the company's 'Say
Hola' initiative, the Hershey plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania now seamlessly
integrates both Spanish and English-speaking employees. The
transformation evolves Hershey's employee experience and ensures a
work environment that's accessible and equitable. In place for
nearly one year, the program has enabled hiring of a more
experienced workforce, improved retention and reduced recruitment
costs. 'Say Hola' further advances Hershey's commitments to its
communities while underscoring enterprise-wide DEI priorities,
career development programs and enhanced care systems and rewards
for employees.
"At the frontline of our business, our manufacturing employees
make what we do possible and are a driving force behind our recent
supply chain investments," said Jason
Reiman, SVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer. 'Say Hola' precedes
a wide range of new and improved employee support programs
launching in 2023 including enhanced parental leave, new training
and development opportunities and local community efforts. "By
delivering exceptional and inclusive experiences for employees,
their families and the greater communities, we are doubling down on
our legacy commitment to ensure Hershey is a top workplace for
manufacturing workers so that people can grow within our
company."
In the past 20 years, Hazleton's population has seen a rapid growth
in Hispanic residents – growing from five to more than 60 percent.
Recognizing the opportunity to evolve its approach and build
programs that lead with inclusivity, Hershey launched this
initiative to equip employees with the tools and resources needed
to succeed regardless of their primary language. 'Say Hola' is part
of Hershey's larger people-first manufacturing strategy and is a
direct reflection of the local community's diverse, rapidly
evolving demographics.
By launching 'Say Hola' and opening its doors to the changing
Hazleton community, Hershey is
seeing an increase in employee retention and highly experienced
individuals applying for positions. In fact, more than 90 percent
of the facility's recruitment classes now have the desired
manufacturing experience versus 50 percent of recruitment classes
prior to program launch. The community's enthusiasm about the
transformation to a bilingual plant and word-of-mouth awareness has
also reduced recruitment costs.
With a history of doing the right thing for its communities,
Hershey's investment in the Hazleton facility reflects founder
Milton Hershey's legacy and
community-building efforts. The company embraced the opportunity to
make internal changes to grow side by side with Hazleton and position the 50-year-old
manufacturing facility as a mirror of the community. To do this,
Hershey:
- Conducts trainings in both English and Spanish
- Produces all signs, labels and forms in both Spanish and
English
- Ensures bilingual employees and resources are made available on
the floor to support with communication and introduced a 24/7 1-800
number for assistance
Hershey's partnership with its Latino Business Resource Group
(LBRG) was pivotal in ideating, planning and executing the 'Say
Hola' initiative. The LBRG remains deeply involved as Hershey
continues to build and implement the program. As its first
multilingual pilot program, Hershey will continue to use key
learnings from this initiative to move its people-first
manufacturing vision forward and support its overarching DEI
roadmap.
"The 'Say Hola' initiative showcases Hershey's commitment to our
people and the communities in which we live and work – both on a
local and global scale," said Alicia
Petross, Chief Diversity Officer. "'Say Hola' has
accelerated the diversity of our workforce – a key element of our
DEI roadmap – and provided upskilling, improved recruiting and
retention and most importantly, the program fosters a workplace
that looks more like the communities our colleagues live in."
Earlier this year, Hershey was named No. 6 on DiversityInc's Top
50 Companies for Diversity and No. 9 on the Top Companies for
Latino Executives list. The candy and snack maker's Latino
executives and board members are frequently honored in outlets like
Latino Leaders Magazine.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is
headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is an industry-leading snacks
company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic
brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children
succeed. Hershey has approximately 19,000 employees around the
world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products.
The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80
countries around the world that drive more than $8.9
billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names
as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit
Kat®, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and
fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's
Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.
For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating
fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the
company has focused on helping children succeed.
To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com.
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SOURCE The Hershey Company