What We’re Thankful For
Giving thanks for the people, partners and progress we hold close to our hearts.
With the holidays upon us, we’d like to take a moment to show appreciation for some of the positive ingredients behind Ben & Jerry’s. Sure, it’s easy to get lost in a tryptophan-fueled haze of turkey and pumpkin pie, but the simple act of expressing gratitude is incredibly powerful. From the people we work with to the social and environmental progress we hold close to our heart, we have many things to be thankful for this year.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Let’s be honest, this is a fight for generations to come, but we’re happy for the progress being made. Governments are getting real (hey there, China!) and business is taking climate change seriously. Just this year we got word that the ozone hole appears to be healing (thanks to the Montreal Protocol), and here in Vermont, our largest city became 100% powered by renewable energy. At Ben & Jerry’s, we’ve continued our sustainable course with projects like the ice cream-powered Chunkinator and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at our farms.
EQUALITY
Lately it seems like not a week goes by where there isn’t something positive to report, and momentum for the LGBTQ community only continues to build. Consider this: as of today, 35 states allow same-sex marriage compared to only 19 states a month ago. For the first time ever, the right to marry whomever you love has been effectively legalized for the majority of the U.S. population. Cheers to that!
THE BEN & JERRY’S FOUNDATION
The charitable work of the employee-led Ben & Jerry’s Foundation gives us a lot to be thankful for. It’s just one of the ways our employees are supporting causes we care about. Through grant making, the foundation supports grassroots organizations making a difference in social and environmental justice and human rights issues both here in Vermont and nationwide.
GOOD INGREDIENTS
We are proud to stand with the growing consumer movement for transparency, and the right to know what’s in our food supply. This year Vermont become the first state to pass a GMO-food-labeling law. Within our walls, we are nearing completion of transitioning all ingredients to non-GMO sourced and Fairtrade Certified—a milestone achievement for both our farmers and us.
LAUGHING ‘TIL IT HURTS
Believe it or not, an ancient Chinese comedian invented ice cream. Look it up, it’s true. So it’s no surprise that laughing uncontrollably while scarfing down a pint of our favorite flavor is a joy we cherish dearly. To truly maximize the effect of this ice cream-induced amusement, we highly recommend you pair your pint with our personal favorites—Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, both who landed in new (or almost new) positions.
OUR FELLOW B CORPS
We are constantly inspired by other values-led businesses. Take our friends at Patagonia for example. As one of the more vocal fellow members of the B Corp community, Patagonia’s initiatives like One Percent for the Planet, Common Threads, and DamNation are pushing both the planet and business in a better direction.
OUR PARTNERS
We take great pride in the like-minded folks we do business with. Simply put, without them we wouldn’t have nearly the same impact on their community and ours. Take Greyston and their Bakers on a Mission. Their brownies have been a part of our recipe since the late ‘80s. In turn, the bakery employs the people of Yonkers, New York, while its parent foundation reinvests 100% of its profits into the community.
OUR EMPLOYEES
How could we not be thankful for each other? Without each other, work wouldn’t be so sweet. Even when our orders came in way above forecast our Vermont manufacturing team worked (literally) day and night to bring you ice cream. Our employees around the world, along with their passion and dedication, are what make up the soul of Ben & Jerry’s.
AND THEIR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS
Let’s just paws for a moment to give thanks to our K9-5ers. Yup, that’s right. We love our pups so much that they’re part of the office pack at our headquarters in Vermont.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST…YOU!
Where would we be without our loyal fans? The most important ingredient of all! Your support of our products helps us do our small part to make the world a better place.