HE&R Commemorates the 155th Anniversary of Juneteenth

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO, JOHN LAWN, TO OUR TEAM MEMBERS 

As we celebrate Juneteenth - the annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States - we mark our solidarity with the effort to end racial injustice and inequality for Black Americans. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) s committed to advancing this effort throughout our company and our community. 

The murder of George Floyd galvanized efforts across the nation to expose and address systemic racial injustice that exists in our country. This discrimination has plagued the United States and the Black community for far too long. We need to work to understand how best to answer this call to action and make a positive difference as individuals, communities, and together as a company.

Our Commitment to Act

We will foster a stronger internal culture of advocacy and inclusion to help employees share their voices and collectively affect change. We will expand on existing initiatives, and we will create new programs, which reflect our desire to develop additional avenues for progress for our Black team members and the Black community.

Listening - We will engage in dialogue at all levels through relevant expert-led moderated conversations and talks between leaders and team members to ensure that all voices are heard, acknowledged, and addressed. 

Learning - We will expand our mandatory annual Unconscious Bias training for all full-time team members. We will provide additional training to ensure all of us have a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding race and the workplace. We will improve our training for those who interact with our guests to ensure the highest level of awareness, service, and support for our diverse guest population. Part of this effort will include developing and sharing a rich library of multicultural material with an emphasis on racial inequality impacting the Black community. We also will expand on our Martin Luther King, Jr., Commitment to Service initiative to emphasize education and learning - in addition to service. Beginning next year, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day will become an official company holiday.

Connecting - We will form a new Employee Resource Group made up of different races and ethnicities to build connections, provide awareness and insights, and share multicultural backgrounds - which will also assist in creating a greater understanding of the Black experience. 

Developing - We will make a commitment to improve Black representation at all levels of our company - especially in leadership positions. We commit ensuring that we provide equitable access to professional development, mentorship, and advancement for our Black team members. We will hold ourselves accountable for creating a workforce that is more representative and responsive to people of all backgrounds. 

Outreach - We will support external organizations dedicated to comprehensive racial and social justice reforms to address systemic racism.

This is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will continue to listen and learn from our team members, our guests, and our community partners - all to further HE&R’s role in creating tangible and lasting change. Together, we will continue to build on our efforts during this pivotal time to promote equity for all.

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company is proud to help fulfill the dream of our founder, Milton S. Hershey, by providing value to Milton Hershey School® in its mission of helping students lead happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives - just as Mr. Hershey intended.