Our Values

Statement of Mission

Ben & Jerry's is founded on & dedicated to a sustainable corporate concept of linked prosperity.

Our mission consists of 3 interrelated parts:

1. Our Economic Mission asks us to manage our Company for sustainable financial growth.To operate the Company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for our stakeholders and expanding opportunities for development and career growth for our employees.
2. Our Social Mission compels us to use our Company in innovative ways to make the world a better place.To operate the Company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally and internationally.
3. Our Product Mission drives us to make fantastic ice cream – for its own sake. To make, distribute and sell the finest quality ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment.

Leading with Progressive Values Across Our Business

1. By definition, the manufacturing of products creates waste. We strive to minimize our negative impact on the environment.
2.  We strive to show a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.
3. We seek and support nonviolent ways to achieve peace and justice. We believe government resources are more productively used in meeting human needs than in building and maintaining weapons systems.
4. Capitalism and the wealth it produces do not create opportunity for everyone equally. We recognize that the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than at any time since the 1920’s. We strive to create economic opportunities for those who have been denied them and to advance new models of economic justice that are sustainable and replicable.
5. The growing of food is overly reliant on the use of toxic chemicals and other methods that are unsustainable. We support sustainable and safe methods of food production that reduce environmental degradation, maintain the productivity of the land over time, and support the economic viability of family farms and rural communities.

Central To The Mission

Central to the Mission of Ben & Jerry's is the belief that all 3 parts must thrive equally in a manner that commands deep respect for individuals in & outside the Company & supports the communities of which they are a part.

How We Do Business

Ingredients, Sourcing, and Purchasing Practices

Using our ingredients and the power of our purchasing decisions to support positive change not only makes sense - it makes our ice cream taste sensational!

Caring Dairy

When you think about it, Ben & Jerry’s wouldn’t be Ben & Jerry’s if it weren’t for the family farms supplying the high quality dairy ingredients we depend on. Caring Dairy™ is a unique program that's helping farmers move toward more sustainable practices on the farm.

Cage-Free Eggs

The eggs we buy for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the United States come from hens on Certified Humane cage-free farms. Certified Humane cage-free standards ensure that laying hens have wholesome, nutritious food, access to clean water, and adequate space to engage in normal behaviors, among other criteria crafted by veterinary professionals.

Brownies

If you’ve ever had our Half-Baked™ or Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream flavors, then you’ve already had a taste of the greatness that comes from Greyston Bakery. Greyston Bakery is as committed to providing jobs and job training for individuals who face barriers to employment.

Fair Trade

"Fair trade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of fair trade goes to the heart of our values and the sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.” Jerry Greenfield, Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder

Non-GMO

Ben & Jerry’s is proud to stand with the growing consumer movement for transparency and the right to know what’s in our food supply by supporting mandatory GMO labeling legislation.

Manufacturing Practices

We know our footprint, are working throughout our operations to reduce it, and we report on progress annually. And it's not just an environmental issue; it is an issue of social and economic justice.

Climate Change

All businesses have greenhouse gas emissions associated with their operations – at Ben & Jerry’s, we have ours. We know our footprint, are working throughout our operations to reduce it, and we report on progress annually.

Productive Waste

With an eye towards closing loops in our supply chain, we even send the dairy waste from our Vermont plants back to two of the farms that supply us with fresh dairy ingredients. Our waste is put into methane digesters with other farm waste – where it generates energy to power the farms.

Cleaner, Greener Freezer

We make ice cream in the nicest way possible, and now the freezers we put it in are, too! Our “Lean & Green” freezers are more climate-friendly and energy efficient!

Responsibly Sourced Packaging

Our paperboard packaging is Forest Stewardship Council certified, which means forest wildlife, biodiversity and sustainability is protected from the start. But we aren’t stopping there!

People, Community, and Giving Back Practices

It’s good for us to turn a shovel, lift a hammer or dip a paint brush to do some good in our local communities, but Ben & Jerry’s involvement in the community goes well beyond that.

PartnerShops

PartnerShops are Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops that are owned and operated by youth-serving nonprofit organizations. 

Community Action

Our community-conscious commitment isn't an add-on: it’s embedded in our identity as well as our Company Mission. And it has inspired over thirty years of community service, social action and just-plain-fun interaction of all kinds. 

Issues We Care About

One thing' s for sure: we’re not shy about speaking up, making a case, taking a stand, creating a campaign – or even a flavor – to build awareness and support for the social & environmental issues that we feel strongly about.