I scream, you scream, all of Notre Dame screams for ice cream!
On March 29, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of world-famous ice cream company Ben & Jerry's came to Notre Dame to speak to students about the story behind one of the "coolest" companies around. Jerry gave us the scoop on how he and Ben got their start (they took a $5 ice cream correspondence course through Penn State), why Ben & Jerry's mix-ins are so chunky (Ben has a poor sense of taste), and what his favorite flavor is (Heath Bar Crunch).
Jerry also emphasized the importance of socially responsible business practices. He spoke of Ben & Jerry's "two-part bottom line," which emphasizes economic and social results. Jerry highlighted such activism as the company's commitment to using 100 percent fair trade ingredients by the end of 2013. He also noted such behavior makes the company attractive to consumers, who are increasingly valuing socially-oriented businesses.
Fittingly, Jerry hosted an ice cream social in the Mendoza College of Business following his talk. Your ND Minute correspondents enjoyed some Half-Baked ice cream bars. The camera may add ten pounds, but the job adds even more.
We were lucky enough to speak one on one with Jerry, asking him what advice he has for students interested in business, his favorite part of his job, and what he thinks about the future of social activism in business.
