Ben & Jerry’s new CEO: Businesses must affect positive … — Transcript

I'd actually reframe it, and I think it's less about walking the line between the two. Businesses are in business to serve people, whether you make products, you've got services, and you're also embedded in communities. You've got employees, hopefully you're growing your employee base.

base so the idea that there's a choice to be made between being proactive being activists as a business and not I think is a little bit of a false narrative we are part of our community we serve our

So the idea that there's a choice to be made between being proactive, being activists as a business and not, I think is a little bit of a false narrative. We are part of our community. We serve our fans, and we touch thousands, thousands of people here and around the world.

actually part of business I actually think that's in the DNA of Ben and Jerry's and why I'm so excited to be part of the business so what type of issues are you looking to take on and how are you changing the focus and what

So I think acknowledging that you are part of a community and being part of the social change that you want to see become a part in the world that you serve is actually part of business. I actually think that's in the DNA of Ben and Jerry's and why I'm so excited to be part of the business.

making the best ice cream in the world but actually putting its money where its mouth is in terms of driving progressive change and these stem from environmental justice social justice black lives matter and really going after systemic racism in ways that frankly I think

So what type of issues are you looking to take on, and how are you changing the focus and what are you doing about it?

it gets me excited because I want to create more dialogue this is not about one side fighting another on issues but I think never before have we had a lot of issues bubbling to the surface in the United States where I think we need to

Well, I think first of all, the business, yes, you just celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year, so I get the privilege of leading a team and a business that has a four-decade track record of not only making the best ice cream in the world but actually putting its money where its mouth is in terms of driving progressive change.

let's have a discussion about it because I think that what we need is more dialogue and more engagement and this is true for both business leaders and people so am i nervous not really we only need some people perhaps but I

And these stem from environmental justice, social justice, Black Lives Matter, and really going after systemic racism in ways that, frankly, I think business does have a role.

I mean you got racial justice is one thing Starbucks toe was handed like a very difficult question about the use of public bathrooms or the bathrooms in their restaurants how do you where's the line between appropriate use and abuse

Are you worried about losing conservative consumers? It's a pretty little agenda you've got there.

pretend I've got all the answers but I think rather than thinking about it as a line that you cross or that you not cross I'd say it's a dialogue that you want to be part of and Ben and Jerry's

Well, I think that not everybody may agree with our position and the position the team and I have, and that's actually something where it gets me excited because I want to create more dialogue. This is not about one side fighting another on issues, but I think never before have we had a lot of issues bubbling to the surface in the United States where I think we need to come together as people. We need to come together around these issues and have more dialogue.

Jerry's has to offer both on the product front with super-premium products that have led the industry and on social justice and really about social mission I think these are two huge topics where business needs to engage more on so I

So yes, it's true to your point some people may not agree with the position that Ben and Jerry's, the team, and I take, but let's have a dialogue, let's have a discussion about it because I think that what we need is more dialogue and more engagement, and this is true for both business leaders and people.

don't mean to suggest at all that we've got the right answers but I think having the courage to step in is what business leaders need to be doing today what flavour would the Donald Trump ice cream be if you made one

So am I nervous? Not really. We only need some people, perhaps, but I think that's what it takes to actually step in and be proactive as a business and be part of the dialogue that, frankly, the people we serve want us to be having.

are creating and we don't even do one are you gonna do one or no you had a burning one burning yearning it's not on the docket right now but that doesn't mean we wouldn't do it in the future

I mean, some issues are maybe easier to decide upon than others, right?

you worried about that I mean that seems like a real threat to the ice cream business well I think that developing great products that satisfy our fans that while our fans that delight our fans that's what Ben & Jerry's is all

I mean, you've got racial justice, which is one thing. Starbucks, too, was handed like a very difficult question about the use of public bathrooms or the bathrooms in their restaurants. How do you, where's the line between appropriate use and abuse?

with things like our Moo foria it's been a crazy year for your raw material cost I mean sugar is one of those commodities where prices have actually fallen but cocoa earlier in the year was a much different story can you talk about

I mean, you're going to struggle with some of this down the road, I'm sure you realize that.

that you create through the products and the pricing that's associated with it is as part of it as part of the equation costs are always going up and down and a lot of our products we we are in the

Listen, I think that there's the big topic around social equity is got lots of layers and lots of facets, so I'm not gonna pretend I've got all the answers, but I think rather than thinking about it as a line that you cross or that you not cross, I'd say it's a dialogue that you want to be part of, and Ben and Jerry's has been part of it.

happening with commodities and how we deal with it through the P&L is is a key part of what we do there's a lot I've still got to learn about how we bring the magic of the Ben & Jerry's formulas

I'm gonna continue moving in that direction, and I think business is at a big inflection point.