Interview – Jerry Greenfield, Ben and Jerry’s Co Founder — Transcript

Jeff Holden for Enactus, and I am here with Jerry Greenfield from Ben & Jerry's. Thanks for being here, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry's. Co-founder, sorry, I didn't make a sound cool enough. But let's not forget Ben also. Yeah, there's also Ben. So this is your first time at an Enactus event?

is your first time at an actus event tremendously excited to be here I'm gonna be doing a presentation later and scooping ice cream Ben & Jerry's so I'm very psyched so now these students are working in the entrepreneurial world

Tremendously excited to be here. I'm going to be doing a presentation later and scooping ice cream from Ben & Jerry's, so I'm very psyched. So now these students are working in the entrepreneurial world, making projects happen. How did Ben & Jerry's get started?

we thought we'd make ice cream for a couple years and then move on to something else and then how did so it had to start growing ah we started packaging ice cream into pint containers and I think the growth of the company

Ben and Jerry started in 1978. Ben and I were 27-year-old kids. We started as a homemade ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont, with no plans to do anything more than that.

took a big jump yeah i think when we started going into new markets outside of the northeast the company started growing and i think when the company really committed to its social mission to essentially writing a mission statement that included a social mission

We thought we'd make ice cream for a couple of years and then move on to something else. And then how did it start growing?

that mission or how did it impact it you know it's really interesting because initially everybody was saying it was going to be the downfall of the company that you couldn't have a company that was concerned about people and the

Ah, we started packaging ice cream into pint containers, and I think the growth of the company came from great ice cream, really high-quality ingredients, unusual flavors, and having a social mission. The company was looking at social and environmental concerns as well as just making money.

number of other companies out there who kind of in more recent years it has been a resurgence of that idea of having some sort of giving back involved in it and and do you feel like you guys kind of

So there are some watershed moments where you took a big jump?

cream and everybody loves ice cream but as you say for now in a certain sense customers are demanding it from companies and entrepreneurs who were going into business are making it part of the purpose of their company from the

Yeah, I think when we started going into new markets outside of the Northeast, the company started growing. And I think when the company really committed to its social mission, essentially writing a mission statement that included a social mission as well as a product and financial mission, and that all three of those missions were equally important.

I do not not everybody does and and that's one of the interesting things is that there are many ways to have a successful business and the point for me is if you do care about sustainability if you do care about climate justice if

And how did you see that impacting your business? Having that sustainability, did people jump on to that mission, or how did it impact it?

it's not it's not a trade-off in your world in what's in your experience it is not been a trade-off and the passion and enthusiasm that Ben and Jerry's eaters have are as much about the way the company runs itself as it is for the ice

You know, it's really interesting because initially everybody was saying it was going to be the downfall of the company, that you couldn't have a company that was concerned about people and the environment and still be as financially successful as other companies. And the reality is, it was exactly the opposite. The more caring Ben & Jerry's has been, the more successful it's been.

and talking about it the company was at the Paris climate talks last year the company has been campaigning to get people to sign petitions about getting off fossil fuels so you got a look at how you do things yourself and then you

And have you seen, you know, there are a number of other companies out there who, kind of in more recent years, it has been a resurgence of that idea of having some sort of giving back involved in it. And do you feel like you guys kind of helped pioneer that?

make such an impact Ben and I are totally shocked when we look at what has happened to the company we never would have guessed and beyond that anybody who knew us never would have guessed that the company would have been so

I think Ben & Jerry's was one of the earlier companies that were doing it. There were a lot of companies doing it. Ben & Jerry's, I think, has more visibility than a lot of other companies, probably because we make ice cream and everybody loves ice cream. But as you say, for now, in a certain sense, customers are demanding it from companies, and entrepreneurs who are going into business are making it part of the purpose of their company from the very start.

entrepreneurs here today are looking at products and services from the get-go that are going to work towards sustainability whereas for Ben and me it was something that we developed over time so I would say keep doing what you're doing I think starting small is

So how do you see specifically sustainability being, obviously, it's been a part of what you guys have done. How do you see that? Do you see it as a responsibility for the business?

start big and make a big splash but you guys are a great example of starting organically yeah i as i said i think when when you start small you're forced to do everything yourself and you need to figure out solutions to problems you

You know, I do. Not everybody does, and that's one of the interesting things, is that there are many ways to have a successful business. And the point for me is, if you do care about sustainability, if you do care about climate justice, if you do care about other people, you can have that be part of your business and be just as successful as anyone else. You don't have to be that way, but it should not prevent you from doing anything.

it when the freezer brings at two in the morning there's there's really nobody to call now you you obviously have a different demeanor than what most people think of as an executive of a large company how is this and and the brand Ben & Jerry's

But it's not a trade-off in your world?

Jerry's but I'm not part of the management okay but you know I think Ben & Jerry's tries to bring fun into into what it's do you know we there there's a couple of sayings at Ben and Jerry's one

In my experience, it has not been a trade-off. And the passion and enthusiasm that Ben & Jerry's eaters have are as much about the way the company runs itself as it is for the ice cream itself.

watchwords of the business make it fun but also do it responsibly yeah well thank you so much for joining us you're an inspiring story in person for exactly what enactus is all about if you come downstairs I'll get your scoop I'm gonna

So what do you all do more specifically in terms of sustainability?