Eliminating Negative Impact on the Environment

• through projects that look to assess and address the environmental impact of our practices, from packaging, manufacturing and distribution to working habits at all of our locations;
• through a commitment to support sustainable agricultural practices;
• and through partnerships with likeminded individuals, companies and enterprises such as suppliers and nonprofit organizations, many of whom we rely on for information and assistance.

Our Environmental Timeline

• Ben & Jerry’s Environmental Timeline

Paper & Packaging

We have changed our pint packaging.

Our goal is to have a package made completely of renewable resources, from the board to the coatings that line the container and to minimize the amount of material used to produce it and the waste that is generated once the container has served its purpose.

Packaging is a globally important use of paper and has a significant environmental impact beginning with the material it is made of to the final disposal after it is no longer needed.  We are committed to addressing both of these issues with our pint container.  The container is made of paper, a renewable natural resource.  However, harvesting the trees for the board can have consequences on both the forest environment and the communities that depend on those forests.

We are now working with a global environmental organization to help guide us in developing procurement guidelines that will maximize the use of renewable resources that come from suppliers and forests that use the best forest management practices that respect and benefit both the land and the people.  This change will allow us to further pursue our goal of having the entire container made from truly renewable resources. 

There are a couple of other significant environmental benefits from this packaging change.  One is that we will eliminate 1,000 tons of waste generated by our previous packaging material.  Another benefit is that we expect to reduce the materials used in the pint cup without compromising the container.  Source reduction brings environmental benefits to the equation.

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Energy

• We will evaluate our refrigeration systems for maximum efficiency.
• We will seek assistance from outside sources including Efficiency Vermont to identify energy efficiency opportunities.
• We will expand our current energy tracking system to include a calculation of Greenhouse Gas emissions.
• We will evaluate alternative energy options.
• We will provide extensive educational information to our employees, customers and suppliers regarding actions everyone can take to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions. Through our educational programs, we believe that we can have a positive effect on the reduction of greenhouse gases.

• Lick Global Warming — We’ve teamed up with Dave Matthews Band and SaveOurEnvironment.org to lick global warming. Join us!

• Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College — Become an Ambassador for Climate Change Research!
• OneSweetWhirled — UK — Take a stand for the planet by taking personal action to help slow global warming.

Energy Initiatives at Ben & Jerry’s
Initiatives to increase energy efficiency are ongoing at Ben & Jerry’s. Conventional dairy manufacturing processes consume substantial amounts of energy, yet we continue to find ways to utilize energy more efficiently, to find opportunities where we can use alternative sources, and to take advantage of energy offsets.

NativeEnergy & Green Tags
In 2004 we continued our relationship with NativeEnergy. NativeEnergy’s goal is to develop clean, renewable resources to provide energy needs. Their focus is on helping to develop domestic renewable energy resources and to feature Native American projects which create social, economic and environmental benefits.

The Company took a major step forward by joining forces with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota and helping them build the first large-scale Native American-owned and operated wind turbine. This ‘demonstration’ turbine, a single 750 kW NEG-Micon turbine, represents Phase I of the Tribe’s wind development initiative. The Tribe completed construction in the spring of 2003 with the help of an unusual financing mechanism known as green tags. Green tags represent the environmental attributes of clean energy, specifically the reductions in CO2 and other pollution that occur when clean energy displaces energy otherwise generated by burning fossil fuels. When a power plant is unwilling to pay a premium for wind power, the wind project can sell the electricity output as generic power at market rates and recover its premium cost through the separate sale of the green tags.

Purchasing green tags is a way for individuals and businesses to effectively convert their electricity to wind power, or to offset the CO2 impacts of their electricity and fossil fuel use. For two years Ben & Jerry’s has purchased an equivalent number of green tags to offset 100% of its CO2 emissions from our manufacturing sites. The Company also offsets emissions associated with certain public events, including our August 2004 Rock the Vote Festival at Vermont’s Burlington Waterfront.

In 2004 the wind turbine was available for operation more than 98% of the time, over 3% above the target level. Ben & Jerry’s energy “share” of the project produced 393,377 kWh. Based upon EPA data, the annual CO2 reduction for our share amounted to 466.2 tons. Over the 25-year lifespan of the turbine, this will equate to 11,655 tons.

Thermoacoustic Refrigeration
Keeping Ice Cream Cool Through Greener Means
At Ben & Jerry’s we’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact — including the impact from the many thousands of conventional freezer cases you’ll find stocked with Ben & Jerry’s in stores everywhere.

The problem with conventional refrigeration is that it’s reliant on what’s known as vapor compression technology: a resource-intensive process involving compressor motors and gases such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC’s) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC’s) � gases which are key contributors to ozone depletion and global warming.

One possible solution: to connect with researchers able (and willing!) to develop an environmentally safe alternative to traditional refrigeration technology, one that would be suitable for use in a Ben & Jerry’s freezer cabinet.

Sounds Cool, Right?
We thought so. That’s why we teamed up in 1999 with Acoustics Professor Steven Garrett and fellow researchers at Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory, where we helped fund a project to develop an environmentally-friendly, compact freezer cabinet that uses thermoacoustic technology to create cooling.

The Penn State research team developed a “pre-prototype” thermoacoustic chiller in 2002; further development and testing in 2003 resulted in a final prototype that met targets for cooling power, size, and performance. The finished prototype chilling unit was installed in a freezer display cabinet, then proudly introduced to the public via a multimedia “thermoacoustic roadshow” in 2004.

Intro to Ice S’cream Freezer Theory
The thermoacoustic chilling unit works much like a traditional refrigerator, except that it uses sound waves instead of a compressor to create cooling. In basic terms, the thermoacoustic chiller is a closed-pressure vessel that contains a regenerator, or “stack,” along with two heat exchangers, and a source of acoustic energy. The source, in this case, is a souped-up loudspeaker that generates high amplitude sound energy in an environmentally-safe inert gas (helium), which is converted into cooling power. By “high amplitude” sound, we mean mega-high: cranked up waaay beyond what you’d encounter, say, if you hung out near the loudspeakers at a rock concert, or if you stood a few dozen feet away from a jet’s engines. (Not to worry, though — sound levels that high can only be reached in contained, pressurized gas, so there’s no need to fear getting an earful.)

Freezing Greener Isn’t Easy...
These advances are undeniably exciting, yet the researchers are quick to remind us that thermoacoustic refrigeration technology is still in its infancy. While their prototype model cools as efficiently as a home refrigerator, you won’t find “thermoacousticoolers” in anyone’s homes anytime soon. Many challenges need to be addressed before thermoacoustic household appliances make their debut in the marketplace.

...But The Rewards Sound Extraordinary!

“The research has shown that a strong potential exists to engineer a cooling system that utilizes inert gas and operate it with no performance tradeoff against standard vapor-compression technology.” Pete Gosselin, Ben & Jerry’s Chief of Engineering

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Sustainable Agriculture

• Provide an on-farm self-assessment tool designed to enable farmers to more efficiently assess the environmental impact of their farm operations.
• Provide information about sustainable dairy farming practices.
• Provide a foundation for further development of programs that promote sustainability in agriculture.

Read their research thesis in full:

Sustainable Agriculture: Development of an On-Farm Assessment Tool

Read the The Dairy Stewardship Alliance Toolkit in full: (downloadable PDF files)

•  Introduction
•  Animal Husbandry
•  Biodiversity
•  Community Health
•  Energy
•  Farm Financials
•  Nutrient Management
•  Organic
•  Pest Management
•  Soil Health
•  Water Management
•  Credits/Contacts

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Waste Reduction & Recycling

• Through the cleaning process associated with flavor changes on production lines.
• At the start/stop of production runs.
• When formulation errors occur.
• From spillage on the factory floor.
• As a result of testing new flavors or equipment.

• It is shipped to a permitted composting facility to be turned into fertilizer for landscaping, farms and home gardens.
• It is placed in permitted manure pits for use as fertilizer.

Selected examples from our Manufacturing Sites in Waterbury and St. Albans, Vermont, to our Central Support Offices in South Burlington, Vermont:

• Notebooks and notepads are made from recycled paper.
• Copier paper is process chlorine free, recycled content paper.
• Printer toner cartridges and ink jet cartridges are recycled.
• Most printers and fax machines are set up for double-sided copying.
• Senders of unwanted junk mail are notified to remove the recipients’ names from mailing lists.
• Cleaning supplies are environmentally sound.
• Computers are Energy Star rated.
• Office supplies are ordered online where specific recycled content and minority suppliers are identified as preferred suppliers.
• The manufacturing sites eliminated the use of disposable polystyrene utensils & beverage cups at all sites’ breakroom/cafeteria areas; employees are supplied with reusable/washable cups, and each cafeteria is equipped with a dishwasher.
• Plastic bags from cup boxes are reused as trash bags in plant production rooms. Some employees take plastic bags home to be reused as trash bags. All other plastic bags are recycled.
• Fiber drums from production sites are sold to a barrel distributor to be reused by other companies.
• Plastic buckets are sent to Vermont Republic Industries (VRI) to be reused or recycled. VRI employs people with developmental disabilities.
• Cardboard is either sold for reuse or recycled.
• The sites’ QA labs wash and reuse plastic lab supplies that are used for non-sterile sampling.
• Used oil generated from preventative maintenance practices is sent out to be reprocessed.
• Each manufacturing plant has an aqueous-based parts cleaner instead of a solvent-based parts cleaner.
• All fluorescent bulbs and Nicad batteries are recycled.
• All sites recycle paper, plastic and metal.
• Certain ingredients are packaged in returnable totes that eliminate the use of excessive packaging.
• Paints used in our Central Support Office building are chosen for their environmentally-sound, non-toxic properties.
• Our carpeting is made by Interface, Inc., whose goal is to become by 2020 “the world’s first fully sustainable enterprise anywhere.” That means eventually using power from renewable sources only, mastering zero waste, and succeeding in re-using its own carpeting to make all its new carpeting. When they reach their goal, all Interface carpeting sold will be recyclable and will never see a landfill!
• The Forbo flooring at the Central Support site is eco-smart enough to stay in shape without harmful disinfectants, sanitizers, high pH cleaners or strippers for maintenance.
• All offices and conference rooms throughout the company have motion sensor lighting.
• Our Central Support office received a $25,000 rebate from our local power supplier for some of the energy initiatives we incorporated when we renovated the building.
• The manufacturing sites have complete energy efficiency evaluations that have resulted in significant emission reductions and cost savings.
• Our Facilities Dept. teamed up with the Vermont State Dairy Division to help supply their modest offices with panel systems, keeping panels that have outlived their use at Ben & Jerry’s out of the landfill by donating them where they’re needed.
• The Central Support site composts lunchroom waste and compostable paper products. The R&D lab composts all of their waste.
• Utensils used for events are biodegradable; they’re sourced from Green Earth Office Supply.
• The Central offices were designed to incorporate superior indoor air quality.
• We set up an “Office Re-Use Depot” at Central Support, where unwanted/surplus pens, pencils, folders, binders, racks and general office supplies are available for anyone who needs them. (After all, why order new if you don't really have to?). The remainder is donated to the ReStore, an art and educational supply store.

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Annual Environmental Reports

• 2006 Social and Environmental Assessment
• 2005 Social and Environmental Assessment
• 2004 Social and Environmental Assessment
• 2003 Social and Environmental Assessment
• 2002 Social and Environmental Assessment
• 2001 CERES Report
• 2000 CERES Report
• 1999 CERES Report

Ben & Jerry’s signed on to the CERES Principles in 1992 affirming our belief that business has a responsibility to the environment and should uphold a set of aspirational principles. Since 1992 we have completed an annual report that has evolved from being just a response to questions to a discussion on important environmental issues. The CERES organization has grown over the years to be a world leader in reporting. This growth has prompted the evolution of the organization into what is now the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). GRI embraces both environmental and social reporting and is the format that Ben & Jerry’s will be following in the future.

Ben & Jerry’s was recently awarded by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) Outstanding Sustainability Reporting. The award was given for the 2001 reporting year reflecting the judges belief that our report:

• Is comprehensive in scope.
• Set an example for small or medium companies by tracking and reporting on an impressive number of initiatives and issues, from executive compensation, living wage and labor issues to waste management and energy.
• Provides contextual information about the organization, including details of significant changes to it, such as becoming part of the Unilever group.

CERES Principles

Protection of the Biosphere
We will reduce and make continual progress toward eliminating the release of any substance that may cause environmental damage to the air, water, or the earth or its inhabitants. We will safeguard all habitats affected by our operations and will protect open spaces and wilderness, while preserving biodiversity.

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources
We will make sustainable use of renewable natural resources, such as water, soils and forests. We will conserve nonrenewable natural resources through efficient use and careful planning.

Reduction and Disposal of Wastes
We will reduce and where possible eliminate waste through source reduction and recycling. All waste will be handled and disposed of through safe and responsible methods.

Energy Conservation
We will conserve energy and improve the energy efficiency of our internal operations and of the goods and services we sell. We will make every effort to use environmentally safe and sustainable energy sources.

Risk Reduction
We will strive to minimize the environmental, health and safety risks to our employees and the communities in which we operate through safe technologies, facilities and operating procedures, and by being prepared for emergencies.

Safe Products and Services
We will reduce and where possible eliminate the use, manufacture or sale of products and services that cause environmental damage or health or safety hazards. We will inform our customers of the environmental impacts of our products or services and try to correct unsafe use.

Environmental Restoration
We will promptly and responsibly correct conditions we have caused that endanger health, safety or the environment. To the extent feasible, we will redress injuries we have caused to persons in communities near our facilities. We will not take any action against employees for reporting dangerous incidents or conditions to management or to appropriate authorities.

Informing the Public
We will inform in a timely manner everyone who may be affected by conditions caused by our company that might endanger health, safety or the environment. We will regularly seek advice and counsel through dialogue with persons in communities near our facilities. We will not take any action against employees for reporting dangerous incidents or conditions to management or to appropriate authorities.

Management Commitment
We will implement these Principles and sustain a process that ensures that the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer are fully informed about pertinent environmental issues and are fully responsible for environmental policy. In selecting our Board of Directors, we will consider demonstrated environmental commitment as a factor.

Audits and Reports
We will conduct an annual self-evaluation of our progress in implementing these Principles. We will support the timely creation of generally accepted environmental audit procedures. We will annually complete the CERES Report, which will be made available to the public.

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