The sweeter taste of purpose-led philanthropy

Posted on 31st March 2015

Ben & Jerry’s  - now owned by sustainability champions Unilever  – has always had a strong ethical undercurrent to the way its does business. You just have to look at its co-operative campaign with the non-profit Children’s Defense Fund in the 1990s, the work of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation or its continuing search for the most eco-friendly packaging for their ice-cream to see this.

There’s a reason why the 1994 book on the company was subtitled How Two Real Guys Built a Business with a Social Conscience and a Sense of Humor, after all. Since the company was established in 1978, Ben & Jerry’s has always put credibility in their culture (if you’ll pardon the pun).

The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation “Join Our Core” programme is a great example of how the firm uses philanthropy and social investment to bring to life its core beliefs – in this case, its commitment to grassroots organising.

“Grassroots, constituent-led organizing is among the most effective means to create social change. We define organizing as collective action that challenges the status quo, demands changes in policy and practice, educates communities about root causes of social problems, and advocates and agitates for systemic and just solutions.” – Ben & Jerry’s website

Each year, young and future-focused businesses apply to receive support from the Foundation to launch a crowdfunding campaign – grassroots organising in action. A quick look at the latest “Join Our Core” shortlist gives a good snapshot of how entrepreneurial concerns are shifting from short-term returns to sustainable strategies built on belief and purpose. Finalists include companies aiming to battle child hunger (One Feeds Two); a social housing enterprise (Dot Dot Dot); an innovative digital foodbank (FoodCloud); upcycled longboards (Ruff Boards); and a platform aiming to put individuality back into the university application process (Goodwall). The thread that links all of the above  is that of purpose and social-mindedness: young businesses built on passion, not pounds.

What does this say about Ben and Jerry’s? By collaborating and giving a platform to budding young businesses with a powerful purpose, Ben & Jerry’s its clearly fulfilling its promise of ‘collective action’ and giving credibility to its claims. The “Join Our Core” campaign is much more than a surface fulfilment of ‘corporate social responsibility’ because it comes from a deeper, more committed place in Ben & Jerry’s DNA. No surprise that the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation was named Corporate Grantmaker of 2014 by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.

We believe that good business can and should influence more good business. Through the “Join Our Core” programme, the Ben and Jerry’s Foundation is helping to cultivate a genuinely purpose-led business culture in a way that is totally in sync with its own core values.

The Ben and Jerry’s Foundation will soon announce its 2015 shortlist, and we can’t wait to see which great businesses it will spotlight.