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.

The updated sustainability pledge — released on Wednesday, the 56th anniversary of Earth Day — features new commitments for ingredients and manufacturing facilities that make up Hershey’s growing salty snacks business, which includes Dot’s, SkinnyPop and LesserEvil. 

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 a sustainability strategy that would support that,” said Mayer. “This is all about the long-term resilience and growth of the company over time. ”

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. 

While the 132-year-old company has invested $40 million as part of its Hershey Income Accelerator Program since 2023 — supporting 20,000 cocoa farmers and boosting production of the commodity — it is now deepening this approach across other ingredients, such as peanuts, Mayer said.

Among new commitments, Hershey is partnering with Texan By Nature to help sustain the water resources that underpin long-term peanut production through a program to help replenish groundwater. The company is also doing more to improve the health of the broader agricultural system with a new pledge to cover 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of land with regenerative, restorative, or protective practices by 2035.

“That’s an example of the holistic enterprise approach that we’re trying to bring across a broader ingredient list,” Mayer observed.

Mayer said Hershey is taking what it has learned when it comes to water management in its U.S. candy, mint and gum business and bringing that to where salty snacks are manufactured.

Even though Hershey is best known for its confections like Reese’s and Kit Kat, the Pennsylvania-based company has bet big on the public’s growing interest in salty snacks. During the last decade, it purchased SkinnyPop popcorn, Pirate’s Booty cheese puffs, Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels and organic snacks brand LesserEvil, which it officially closed in mid-November.

“We’re not just a candy company. We’re offering more diversified products,” Mayer said. “We wanted to balance that with, of course, what we’re seeing externally around a changing regulatory environment and the sustainability space …  and that’s ultimately what informed where we are today with the new strategy.”

Externally, Hershey and other manufacturers are seeing “an increase in regulations that drive expectations” around performance and accountability at their business, regardless of the political landscape. Companies are facing a patchwork of regulations across U.S. states and in Europe, with California set to require businesses to file climate disclosures in 2026.

The new strategy comes at a pivotal time for Hershey and the broader food industry as climate challenges put more pressure on ingredient supplies. Businesses are being pushed to do more as consumers also pay more attention to the foods they eat and how they are sourced.

A 2023 report by consulting firm Kearney found 42% of consumers stated they always or nearly always consider sustainability when buying food. Respondents overwhelmingly placed the responsibility for shifting toward more environmentally friendly food choices onto food and beverage companies.