Ben & Jerry’s starts off each year by gathering its franchise community to get excited for the busy year to come and do something good for the global community. This year, they’re going to let the good times roll from January 15th to January 18th, as they host their annual Global Franchise Meeting in New Orleans. This will be the third time the global ice-cream brand has chosen New Orleans as its host city.
The franchisees, managers and staff attend workshops to share the company’s direction, give business updates and solicit feedback. It’s not only good times for the attendees. The progressive ice cream maker always tries to live up to co-founder’s words that “business has a responsibility to give back to the community.” Co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield use the annual opportunity to connect with their franchise community.
Upon the 10th anniversary of the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina, Ben & Jerry’s chose to meet in New Orleans. With the help of the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) they will work on new home construction and neighborhood revitalization projects in the New Orleans East section of the city. On Friday, January 16th, over two hundred members of Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop community will join NOAHH to work in the America Street neighborhood, which was hit hard during Katrina, and is still very much in recovery. Once the work is completed, Ben & Jerry’s will gather for an ice cream celebration with homeowners and the neighborhood.
“It is time to seize opportunity and focus on the positive, which is what the Global Franchise Meeting is all about,” said Debra Heintz Director of Retail Operations for Ben & Jerry’s, who oversees the global franchise business. “Volunteering in New Orleans is just one of the many ways we have the opportunity to walk our “linked prosperity” talk. Whenever we as a business do well, we try to bring more support to our global community,” Heintz added.
About Ben & Jerry’s®
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry’s believes in a greater calling then simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry’s incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2014 the company plans to complete its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben and Jerry’s products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry’s, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry’s became a certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation) in 2012. The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation’s employee-led grant programs totaled $2.5MM in 2013 to support economic and social justice, environmental restoration, and peace through understanding. For the inside scoop on Ben & Jerry’s visit www.benjerry.com.
