8. Giving Back
A Founding Belief
Company co-founder Ben Cohen once said, “Business has a responsibility to give back to the community.” Not only did that sentence make a good bumper sticker; it has inspired us over the years to think carefully about the many communities where we have a presence — and the meaningful ways we can make a contribution to their quality of life.
The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
Some of the profits of Ben & Jerry’s business go directly to the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, which makes grants to grassroots organizations around the country addressing social and environmental problems.
Product Donations
We also make product donations to support the work of a wide range of nonprofit organizations in Vermont and across the country.
Factory Seconds Program
Within Vermont, we have a unique relationship with dozens of convenience stores that sell our factory seconds — ice cream that doesn’t quite meet our highest quality standards — to benefit local service organizations.
Community Action
Each year, our employees share their talents with nonprofit organizations through company-sponsored community service projects and individual volunteer efforts. Read about how we got involved in 2005.
You might notice that we didn’t change much about these community initiatives in 2005. We’re pleased with the flexibility these programs offer us to reach out to our neighbors in timely ways on a range of important issues. While we always have our eyes open for new opportunities, we’re satisfied for the time being with the impact that we’ve had working through these channels.