Ben & Jerry’s Mission Statement consists of three interrelated parts: Product, Economic and Social. Within the words of our Mission Statement, especially the social component, lies the foundation of our environmental philosophy:

Product Mission To make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream & euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients & promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment.

Economic Mission
To operate the Company on a sustainable financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for our stakeholders & expanding opportunities for development and career growth for our employees.

Social Mission
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 & internationally.

• 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 1920s. 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.
• By definition, the manufacturing of products creates waste. We strive to minimize our negative impact on the environment.
• 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.
• We seek and support nonviolent ways to achieve peace and justice. We believe government resources are more productively used in meeting human needs than building and maintaining weapons systems.
• We strive to show a deep resect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.
2001 SOCIAL MISSION FOCUS


The specific social mission goals for 2001 focused primarily on environmentally related projects:

• Establishment of the Values Led Sourcing Team.
• Development of Global Warming Social and Environmental Action Campaign
• Raise consumer awareness regarding our social mission.
• Establish the foundation for action to address forced child labor
Packaging


A decision was made in late 2001 to include a tamper-evident seal on pint packaging. Beginning in 2002 the company will use a PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) tamper-evident seal on all domestic and international pints. PETG is a thermoplastic polyester resin that is used in the medical and food packaging industry and is recyclable. Our decision to use PETG versus polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the industry standard, was due to environmental concerns associated with PVC. Greenpeace has identified PVC manufacturing process as the largest source of dioxin released into the environment.

Dioxin


Since our founding in 1978, we have expressed a commitment to provide the finest quality all natural ice cream and related products in a wide variety of innovative flavors made from Vermont dairy products. We have also expressed our belief that business has a responsibility to improve the quality of life in our communities, and that includes environmental stewardship.

Ben & Jerry’s products meet or exceed all standards of food safety everywhere they are sold, and that means around the world in a variety of markets.

The recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Dioxin Reassessment reports that there is more to be concerned about than originally thought. The report states that dioxins are carcinogens (over a lifetime of exposure, the risk is ten times higher than previously thought). The report also noted that the good news is that overall dioxin levels in the environment are coming down. The EPA Dioxin Reassessment report can be found at the following website: http://www.epa.gov/ncea/dioxin.htm.

Ben & Jerry’s believes that we need to be proactive in limiting harmful chemicals that may enter the environment. That’s why we have taken steps to make an impact where we can by converting our pint packaging to unbleached paperboard, with the knowledge that a reduced reliance on chlorine as a bleaching agent will lead to a reduction in dioxin releases from paper mills.