Nils

That was the basic idea from the very beginning. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield met in high school and had the idea of starting a business together - without knowing exactly what and how to do it. Originally it was supposed to be bagels! But the equipment was too expensive, and after a crash course they ended up making ice cream. They didn't see themselves as businessmen, but wanted to run their business differently than was customary at the time. The two basic ideas were: "If it's not fun, why do it?" and "As a company, you bear responsibility for the society in which you live and operate." The resulting 3-part mission statement from 1988 is still valid today. It is based on three equally important pillars: firstly, product quality with good ingredients; today this means, for example, Fairtrade or our own Caring Dairy program. Secondly, it is about acting in an economically sound manner. We call it linked prosperity. Every link in the value chain should benefit. The third element is the social mission, the claim to be socially committed to justice. The special thing about this is that these three pillars are absolutely equal.

Nils

Of course the brand has changed in the last 20 years. It would be bad if it hadn't, I think. However, it was very important to the two founders to preserve their values and, above all, the social mission of Ben & Jerry's. This led to a rather unique purchase agreement, which stipulates that there is an independent board: The Independent Board of Directors. This independent body is to protect the heart of Ben & Jerry's, as they called it. The CEO of Ben & Jerry's therefore has two reporting lines: to the Unilever world and to the Board. And it is mainly active social and environmental activists who sit on the board, not business people.

Nils

You have to make a distinction. Purpose Foundation, charitable ownership, that's a different and more far-reaching approach - and a fantastic development. And I could imagine that Jerry and Ben would also find this model very exciting. Unilever, and therefore also Ben & Jerry's, is and will remain shareholder driven. As I said, the social commitment is beyond question. But the shareholders definitely want to be entertained too.

Nils

Yes, of course. There are various areas of tension both internally and externally. For us as an ice cream company, climate protection is a difficult balancing act per se because we are part of the problem. Nevertheless, we are continuously trying to reduce our footprint and are guided by the Science Based Targets when formulating our goals. In addition, we have been offering super tasty vegan varieties for a few years now and we are planning to expand our range further.

In addition to climate protection, we are particularly committed to social and political issues that are based on our values and combat social injustice. We stand up for refugees in Europe. Together with Sea-Watch, this involves sea rescue in the Mediterranean, #LeaveNoOneBehind to evacuate the camps on the Greek islands and at Europe's external borders and Start with a Friend to bring refugees and locals together as equals. We have a very clear stance here, for example on the expansion of reception programs in Germany. That leads to controversy. We don't get applause from everyone for our actions. That's okay. Because I believe that as soon as you take a clear stance, you also meet people who take a different position.

We face new challenges every day in the areas of communication, community management, social media and the press. And we are also constantly evolving. Here in Germany, for example, we were at a completely different level five years ago and first had to find our feet. Today, we work with many great NGOs. They also had reservations at the beginning. They thought that we would jump ship at the first shitstorm or difficult situation so as not to risk damaging our image as a brand. But we are still involved and are focusing on long-term partnerships, such as with the Amadeu Antonio Foundation.

For our socio-political work, we need the support of NGOs as experts, as insiders. Also to find an approach that is feasible for us. We are always concerned with the question of what role we can actually play. For us, it's not enough just to generate attention. We want to create change, we call it impact driven. But we also know our limits and if we can't offer any added value, it doesn't make sense to get involved just for the sake of getting involved.

Nils

In general, I think it's really good when people ask critical questions and scrutinize things. I come from a marketing and communications background and of course I want to present the brand in a positive light. I love telling great stories and creating a positive image. But for me, this also means standing up to critical questions. Questions about our motivation, seriousness or long-term intentions. People have become more critical and go into more depth. Especially the next generation. I welcome that.

At Ben & Jerry's, we call what we do value-based marketing. We don't just scan what's "in" and then jump on the bandwagon. We look for topics that suit us as a brand, where we can offer added value and create real change. We listen to ourselves and see where we notice injustices in our society that run counter to our values. We are not always at the forefront, but also feel very comfortable in our role behind the scenes without saying much about it.

Nils

I think it's all about your own understanding of the brand and how you do business. How do I act in society? What responsibility do I have as a company? At the moment, it's not so much politics as powerful companies that are steering the world in one direction or another. As an ice cream brand, we perhaps have the luxury of being able to reach people quickly and easily because it is easier for us to make a positive start. Because if we're honest, who doesn't like ice cream? In this sense, I see us in a certain luxury position, being such a love brand. I like to describe our role as a loudspeaker. Our reach allows us to reach different target groups than certain NGOs, for example. We can address other people, our fans, and get them excited about topics that might not otherwise be part of their everyday lives, even in a different language.

On the other hand, you also have to see: We are here in the western world. Super privileged. I'm male, straight, born in Germany and I don't actually experience any discrimination, let alone racism against me. I see that as a huge privilege and, in my opinion, it also gives rise to responsibility. So if you equate privilege and luxury, then we're already moving in a pretty luxurious framework.

Nils

In any case, there is a lot of discussion (laughs). I didn't know that from other companies before. For many people, showing social commitment and taking a clear stance is the reason for working at Ben & Jerry's. At the multi-day European meetings or global gatherings, the first day is always about business, retail and new products, to put it bluntly. New ice cream flavors naturally arouse great enthusiasm. But then the other days are spent passionately discussing social commitment. Where can we achieve even more? What do we want to improve internally?

We also always find topics where we can improve. Initiated by the movement following the death of George Floyd, there was a strong post from our US colleagues who have been supporting the Black Lives Matter movement for years. It was about overcoming white supremacy and standing up against racism and for equal opportunities. We know that we are a rather white company. And since then, we have had a number of working groups to tackle the issue of diversity, inclusion and equity in order to turn words into action.

Nils

Only the global framework is certain: Social justice and climate protection. We are very independent locally when it comes to implementation. And that is also important, because we can best assess where and how we can influence things locally. This also results in great collaborations such as the Melting Pott, which we developed here in Hamburg with FC St. Pauli: A cup of ice cream for a more colorful society.

We are also growing and developing in this area. When I started at Ben & Jerry's about five years ago, all people knew from the movie commercials was: cool ice cream, good ingredients, fun and a bit hippie. But that was it. Today, we are increasingly perceived as socially committed and with a clear attitude. That makes me happy.

Nils

(laughs) No, we tend to get a surprised reaction when people say that parts of our team have nothing to do with the ice cream product, but are solely concerned with the social mission. And in fact, more and more NGOs are approaching us. Our role as social activists is quite unique. I only know of a few other companies, Patagonia for example, that have this role at all. In this context, it strengthens our credibility that we sometimes differentiate between product and activism in our roles. My colleague who speaks directly to the NGOs can say with a clear heart: "Hey guys, I have nothing to do with the product. I'm only interested in social commitment." That helps to avoid being caught between two stools. I'd rather sit there. (laughs)

I think at Ben & Jerry's, the aspiration to get involved runs through all areas and all roles and you can always see this enthusiasm when it comes to building campaigns and creating change.

Nils

Oh, I haven't finished that yet. We've just tried the new varieties for 2021 and there are some great things in there again. I'm not the type to empty a whole cup in the evening. My challenge is that when I'm invited to dinner, people naturally expect me to bring ice cream. And people also complain loudly at home if there is no more ice cream in the freezer or if there are no more chunks and swirls left in the cup due to tunnel digging.

Nils

That's a shame, it's simply a totally exciting field. But it definitely requires a good dose of courage and the certainty that you have a responsibility as a company. This debate can also help to sharpen your brand or brand value. In my opinion, it also helps with strategic decisions. Likewise in the war for talent. In the future, it will become increasingly important to take a clear stance and show what you stand for and what you don't stand for. To get not only customers, but also the people you want on your team. Two weeks ago, I gave a guest lecture at ESCP's Master's program in Sustainability. I asked: What are the companies you want to work for? And across the board, only transparent, sustainable companies were mentioned.

Nils

A good and important point. In the best-case scenario, this will one day equalize or even reverse. I very much hope so. That you no longer have to weigh up one thing against another. So not between my own values and doing good or earning a lot of money. At the moment, you still have to make this decision for yourself to some extent, but I am convinced that these types of companies will be even more successful in the future and will therefore close this gap very soon.