Andy McCormick, vice president for public affairs for The Hershey Co., will speak about his company's efforts to operate responsibly in the chocolate and cocoa industry, and particularly in the areas of the world where cocoa is grown and harvested, at an event Thursday, Feb. 16, hosted by the Center for Ethical Business Cultures.
Andy McCormack
The talk and a panel discussion, “The Hershey Co.: Chocolate and Beyond – Meeting Challenges in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in Hershey’s Supply Chain,” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Thornton Auditorium, Terrence Murphy Hall, 1000 LaSalle Ave. Minneapolis. A networking reception will follow the discussion from 6 to 6:45 p.m. in the hall's atrium.
Christopher Michaelson
Founded in 1894, Hershey is one of America’s landmark brands, which today employs 12,000 people, operates across more than 90 countries and has revenues that surpass $5 billion. The company has a unique relationship with its community and the Milton Hershey School for children in need. (The Hershey Trust Company is the school’s largest shareholder, making the school the company’s leading beneficiary.) Hershey issued its first CSR Report in 2009 and updated with a Scorecard Report in 2010.
James Harkness
In his role as vice president for public affairs, McCormick is responsible for leading Hershey’s communications, public relations and corporate social responsibility teams. His key responsibilities include external and internal communications and the development and implementation of a global framework for social responsibility and sustainability, including responsible cocoa growing.
Mark Murphy
McCormick joined Hershey from Pfizer Inc., where he was vice president of Worldwide Communications. Before joining Pfizer he held positions at IBM Corp. and at daily newspapers in Virginia and Wilmington, Del. He also has worked in Ghana as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer.
McCormick serves on the boards of the World Cocoa Foundation, the International Cocoa Initiative and United Way of Lancaster County. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. He lives with his wife and daughter in Lititz, Pa.
Following McCormick’s remarks, panelists will share their insights:
- Dr. Christopher Michaelson, assistant professor in the Ethics and Business Law Department of St. Thomas' Opus College of Business, holds degrees in philosophy from Northwestern and the University of Minnesota and has worked extensively with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a global adviser.
- James Harkness, president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, has worked extensively in China and with international bodies on development and environmental issues.
- Mark Murphy, assistant vice president for Cargill Corporate Affairs and executive director of the Cargill Foundation, oversees Cargill’s corporate responsibility activities involving stakeholder relations, global giving, community engagement, reputation and issues management.
The forum is free and open to the public. Seating is limited; register to attend.
