A bitter taste for Valentine�s

Hershey�s has announced that that the Rainforest Alliance is to certify its famous Bliss chocolates � what lovely news, just in time for Valentine�s Day! But it comes days after a rather more bitter sounding commercial titled Hershey�s Chocolate: Killed by Child Labor was scheduled to screen to the crowds at the Super Bowl. This so-called �brand-jamming ad� was withdrawn at the last minute when Hershey�s announced a $10 million project to tackle child labour in West Africa.

This is crisis management, not leadership. Hershey�s has been subject to an embarrassing multi-year campaign accusing the company of turning a blind eye to child labour on its cocoa farms. The onslaught included blanketing the company�s Facebook wall in messages, posting �brand-jamming� videos and photos of Hershey products online and releasing a report of accusations and demands, titled �The Real Corporate Social Responsibility Report for the Hershey Company�. Hershey�s is reported to have received over 100,000 letters asking the company to improve its cocoa sourcing practices, as well as a barrage of Facebook posts, tweets and emails.

The attacks on Hershey�s are just the latest example of the spotlight being shined on the apparently murkier side of big brand supply chains. Certifying Bliss chocolate is a move in the right direction � but by letting the storm clouds gather before making this big change, the company has left itself looking reactionary and defensive rather than visionary.

The �Real Corporate Social Responsibility Report� accuses the company of �greenwashing� because it �points to various charitable donations� rather than stamping out �forced, trafficked or child labour� in its supply chain. Hershey�s insists that it's taking a responsible stance towards its supply chain. But to quell the storm and protect its brand, the company now needs to demonstrate that it has a more comprehensive CR strategy. The alternative is to continue the embarrassing public battle with the activists and risk leaving a bitter taste with its consumers.