Ben & Jerry’s Premium Ice Cream

Ben & Jerry’s Premium Ice Cream

Jenifer Reynolds

Southern New Hampshire University

A company’s mission statement is primarily its statement of purpose.  It aids as a guide for all of the company’s decision making.  Ben & Jerry’s mission was to create unique ice cream flavors and make a positive impact while doing so.  Ben & Jerry’s mission statement consist of three correlated parts: product mission, social mission, and economic mission.

Product Mission:  To make, distribute and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporate wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the earth and the environment. (Weebly, n.d.)

Social Mission:  To operate a 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. (Weebly, n.d.)

Economic Mission:  To operate the company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth increasing value for their stakeholder and expanding opportunity for development and career growth to their employees (Weebly, n.d.)

Ben & Jerry’s overall mission is to create the best premium ice cream they can while being economically sustainable and create positive social change.  All that they do is built around their mission statements.  

“For their product mission, Ben & Jerry’s produces a large array of super-premium ice cream novelties, using top of the line ingredients including milk and cream from family farmers who do not treat their cows with the rBGH synthetic hormone (123helpme.com, n.d.).”  They recently have taken new initiatives that impact not only the company but its suppliers and employees as well.  One initiative that has a major impact on their product is making all product lines Fair Trade-Certified, pledging to source only non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) in their products. This increases the company’and their employee’s involvement in the non-profit sector.  The Fair Trade plan focuses on first converting five of the key ingredients in Ben & Jerry’s products, which are sugar, cocoa, vanilla, banana, and coffee.  “By making Ben & Jerry’s products all Fair-Trade Certified they are doing their part with making sure small-business farmers mostly in developing countries can participate and thrive in the global economy (Real Industry, n.d.).”  

“For their social mission, Ben & Jerry’s implements programs like the ‘Ben & Jerry’s Joy Gang,' which is a group of employees whose sole mission is to ‘infuse joy into everything they do.'  They organize company-wide competitions and provide comfort items like hot chocolate machines for employees who work in colder areas (freezer crew) (Real Industry, n.d).”  They recently added a new program called ‘Get Connected.'  This program encourages employees to interact with and learn more about their customers.  They can do this by responding to customer letters or attending customer focus groups.  Some employees even volunteer to give customers tours of the factory.  These types of activities promote a sense of pride among the employees on their contribution to the success of the organization.  Ben & Jerry’s also developed the Ben and Jerry’s Foundation, whose sole purpose is to make the world a better place.  Their mission statement says they can accomplish this by “empowering their employees to use available resources to support and encourage organizations that are working towards eliminating the underlying causes of environmental and social problems (123helpme.com, n.d.)”.