Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream :: essays research papers

The Board of Directors of the come with has since 1988 formalised its basicbusiness philosophy by adopting a three-part " committee statement" for Ben &Jerrys. The statement includes a "product mission," "to make, distribute andsell the finest musical note tout ensemble natural ice cream" an "economic mission," "tooperate the Company on a sound pecuniary basis...increasing value for ourshareholders and creating career opportunities and financial rewards for ouremployees" and a "social mission," "to operate the Company in a means thatactively recognizes the central role that business plays in the structure of conjunction by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of a broadcommunity local, national and international." This statement has been furthersimplified by the Companys statement of "Leading with Progressive Values Acrossour Business." "Underlying the mission of Ben & Jerrys is the determination toseek new and creative ways of addressing wholly three parts, while holding a deeprespect for individuals wrong and outside the Company and for the communitiesof which they are a part." Since 1988, the Companys Annual Report toStockholders has contained a "social report" on the Companys performance duringthe year. The Companys social mission has ceaselessly been about more thanphilanthropy, product donations and community relations. Ben & Jerrys hasstrived to integrate into its periodic business decisions a concern for thecommunity and to seek ways to necessitate with its progressive values.The Company makes cash contributions equal to 7.5% of its pretax profits tophilanthropy through and through The Ben & Jerrys Foundation (the "Foundation"), CommunityAction Teams, which are employee conduct groups from each of its five Vermont sites,and through corporate grants. Excluded from the 7.5% are contributions out of aportion of the proceeds of incidental operations, not directly relating to Ben &Jerrys heart business of the manufacturing and selling of Ben & Jerrys frozendesserts, such as a portion of the admission fees for plant tours. Also excludedfrom the 7.5% are corporate sponsorships that form as one of their purposes thefurtherance of Ben & Jerrys marketing goals. For 1999, the 7.5% measuring sticked toapproximately $1,120,000. The amount of the Companys cash contribution issubject to review by the Board of Directors from snip to time in light of theCompanys cash needs, its operating results, existing conditions in the industryand other factors deemed relevant by the Board. See "The Ben & JerrysFoundation."In some instances where the Company pays royalties for the licensed use of aflavor name, the licensor donates all or a portion of these royalties tocharitable organizations.