Hershey, PA — All of The Hershey Co.'s chocolate products will be made using 100 percent certified cocoa by 2020.

The company reports that certified cocoa, at present, accounts for less than five percent of the world's supply. As the claimed largest chocolate manufacturer in North America, Hershey says it believes that its efforts in West Africa, which produces around 70 percent of the world's cocoa, will lead to a significant increase in the availability of certified cocoa.

Independent auditors will verify the cocoa is grown using internationally recognized standards for labor and farming practices, which includes the elimination of child labor.

The company says it has already contributed to many cocoa sustainability efforts, including the development of CocoaLink, the world's first mobile phone network specifically for cocoa farmers in West Africa. The service is up and running in Ghana, and the company plans to expand to Ivory Coast in 2013.

Hershey points out that its Dagoba organic chocolate is already 100 percent Alliance-certified. The company plans to have its Hershey's Bliss chocolates Alliance-certified by the end of 2012, and its Scharffen Berger brand 100 percent certified by the end of 2013.

J.P. Bilbrey, president and CEO of Hershey, says: “Expanding the use of certified cocoa across our iconic chocolate brands, while working with public and private partners, demonstrates Hershey's responsible sourcing practices. I am confident that we can make a substantial difference in West Africa by 2020.”