Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors send this to OWS: To those who Occupy: We stand with you.

[1776Forever]

We, the Ben & Jerry’s Board of Directors, compelled by our personal convictions and our Company’s mission and values, wish to express our deepest admiration to all of you who have initiated the non-violent Occupy Wall Street Movement and to those around the country who have joined in solidarity. The issues raised are of fundamental importance to all of us.

These include:

The inequity that exists between classes in our country is simply immoral.
We are in an unemployment crisis. Almost 14 million people are unemployed. Nearly 20% of African American men are unemployed. Over 25% of our nation’s youth are unemployed.
Many workers who have jobs have to work 2 or 3 of them just to scrape by.
Higher education is almost impossible to obtain without going deeply in debt.
Corporations are permitted to spend unlimited resources to influence elections while stockpiling a trillion dollars rather than hiring people.

.....We support this call to action and are honored to join you in this call to take back our nation and democracy.

— Ben & Jerry’s Board of Directors (Meet the Board: http://www.benjerry.com/company/bod/ )

More at this link:

http://www.benjerry.com/activism/occupy-movement/?utm_source=cherrygarcia&utm_medium=twitter

............

Mission statement of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream:

http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/?ref=promo

Ben & Jerry’s is founded on and dedicated to a sustainable corporate concept of linked prosperity. Our mission consists of 3 interrelated parts shown above.

Underlying the mission of Ben & Jerry’s is the determination to seek new and creative ways of addressing all three parts, while holding a deep respect for individuals inside and outside the company and for the communities of which they are a part.

...........

Now that my friend is the kind of company we need many more of in the United States!

Bravo!!!

:yourock:

[msongs]

1. Ben & Jerry's is a wholly sold out corporate subsidiary these days. nt

[1776Forever]

3. Why don't you ask the Board of Directors that. It seems they are pretty happy! I have no way of

knowing if that is true or not - I hope someone who works there will chime in.

Here are the "Board of Directors" they sure don't look very "corporate" to me: http://www.benjerry.com/company/bod/

Here's one of their "stories":

THE BASICS

Name: Pierre Ferrari
Current Residence:  Atlanta, GA
Birth Place:  Lubumbashi, Congo
Twitter: @progbiz

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Cherry Garcia

Music: The Beatles

Book/Movie: Blessed Unrest/Apocalypse Now

Places/Country to Visit: Tibet, Senegal & Paris

Quote:
“Wars (poverty/injustice/ecological?) are won by people who actually go out and do things”
                                                       - George Patton

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause:
Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I left Coca Cola after 18 years in ’95 and went to CARE. Ben and Jerry were intrigued by this act and contacted me. We got to know each other and they invited me to join the board.

How long have I been on the BOD:  Since 1998

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
The company is a substantial business that can lead the global business world with actions (we can do things!) that alleviate injustice and be ecologically reparative. For example, we can lead U.S. industry into an understanding and adoption of Fair Trade, we can spread the word about Living Wage policies, we can encourage the inclusion of disadvantaged communities and support their economic development. And we can do all this at a scale that is relevant to other companies globally. We are working on designing a business system that regenerates, enriches and elevates life, not just does less harm!

[1776Forever]

13. Please read the following..........

Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., manufacturer of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, was founded in Vermont in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, childhood friends from Long Island, New York. The company became known for its known for its innovative flavor combinations and names (such as "Cherry Garcia," the first ice cream named for a rock legend), its environmentally friendly production policies, and its local, national and international social involvement. Originally founded in a converted garage with an investment of $12,000, Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch corporation, for $326 million in 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company continued to operate separately from Unilever's existing U.S. ice cream business, with an independent Board of Directors to provide leadership for its social mission and brand integrity.Text

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/ben-jerry-s#ixzz1a8UXULzd

[nedbal]

46. I thank Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield for their sale terms

[JuniperLea]

14. Odd they'd be supporting OWS...

Sell outs tend to be in with the W in that equation.

[1776Forever]

18. I hope you read the following:

Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., manufacturer of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, was founded in Vermont in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, childhood friends from Long Island, New York. The company became known for its known for its innovative flavor combinations and names (such as "Cherry Garcia," the first ice cream named for a rock legend), its environmentally friendly production policies, and its local, national and international social involvement. Originally founded in a converted garage with an investment of $12,000, Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch corporation, for $326 million in 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company continued to operate separately from Unilever's existing U.S. ice cream business, with an independent Board of Directors to provide leadership for its social mission and brand integrity.Text

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/ben-jerry-s#ixzz1a8UXULzd

[JuniperLea]

26. I guess I forgot the sarcasm thingie...

I'm right there with ya!

:hi:

[1776Forever]

30. Oh thanks - I was just inundated with people who are choosing not to believe they are doing good:)

:hi:

[JuniperLea]

32. I hear ya!

Echo chamber with reverb on auto repeat around here!

:hi:

[peace frog]

58. Inundation is what we do best here on DU

Keep the faith, 1776! :fistbump:

[xxqqqzme]

75. That may be so but

until I see a similar statement of support from GE or Mobil-Exxon I have absolutely no problem w/ this.

It continually amazes me that there is always seemsto be a DUer more than eager to turn anything positive into a turd.

[Taverner]

81. Yes, but part of their buyout agreement protected workers, ensured product quality, etc...

Textbook example of how to sell out ethically

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. I LOVE Ben and Jerry's politcal participation.

It has never hurt their business! Imagine that. They have ALWAYS stood up for Progressive principles and their business has flourished through the years. :loveya: Great people!

[vets74]

4. Ben & Jerry's is run pretty much like before.

The ruckus when the BoD sold out was too great to allow anything else.



I (heart) that cow !

[ChandlerJr]

5. Ben & Jerry's is a division of the British-Dutch Unilever conglomerate

They sold out years ago. Unilever keeps them around for marketing and window dressing.

[tblue]

6. They've always been cool.

Model corporate citizens they are. I hope they pass out some ice cream to the protesters.

[DonP]

7. Ben & Jerry's has been a division of Unilever for over a decade

The founders are very politically active, but they sold out to Unilever quite a while ago.

The principals have personal service contracts with Unilever as front men.

As a division of a major Multinational corporation I'm not even sure they still have a Board of Directors. But if it makes you feel good to still think of them as a nice little progressive Vermont based company, run by two guys, be my guest.

[1776Forever]

10. If they still go by what they say they do then I feel very comfortable congratulating them!

http://www.benandjerrysfoundation.org/what-we-do.html

The Foundation awards about $1.8 million annually to eligible organizations across the country and in Vermont. Our philanthropy is employee-led by non-management, employee advisory groups who consider proposals and recommend grants. The Foundation administers five grant programs, listed (on website).

All of our grant programs utilize an on-line application process.

And this:

http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/

We have a progressive, nonpartisan social mission that seeks to meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national and international communities by integrating these concerns into our day-to-day business activities. Our focus is on children and families, the environment and sustainable agriculture on family farms.

Capitalism and the wealth it produces do not create opportunity for everyone equally. We recognize that the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than at any time since the 1920’s. We strive to create economic opportunities for those who have been denied them and to advance new models of economic justice that are sustainable and replicable.

By definition, the manufacturing of products creates waste. We strive to minimize our negative impact on the environment.

The growing of food is overly reliant on the use of toxic chemicals and other methods that are unsustainable. We support sustainable and safe methods of food production that reduce environmental degradation, maintain the productivity of the land over time, and support the economic viability of family farms and rural communities.

We seek and support nonviolent ways to achieve peace and justice. We believe government resources are more productively used in meeting human needs than in building and maintaining weapons systems.

We strive to show a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.

[TBF]

8. It is currently on the website and it is disingenuous at best. B&J was bought in 2000

by Unilever (British/Dutch co-venture that placed 121 on the Fortune 500 list in 2010). The company brings in about $55M/yr.
CEO Polman's Salary is reported to be €2,877,000 ($3.8M).

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=2989260&ticker=UN:US

[1776Forever]

12. Read the following please:) I don't know if you or others will believe it when you read it but here

Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., manufacturer of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet, was founded in Vermont in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, childhood friends from Long Island, New York. The company became known for its known for its innovative flavor combinations and names (such as "Cherry Garcia," the first ice cream named for a rock legend), its environmentally friendly production policies, and its local, national and international social involvement. Originally founded in a converted garage with an investment of $12,000, Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch corporation, for $326 million in 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company continued to operate separately from Unilever's existing U.S. ice cream business, with an independent Board of Directors to provide leadership for its social mission and brand integrity.Text

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/ben-jerry-s#ixzz1a8UXULzd

[TBF]

17. Fancy smancy marketing lingo - look up the company ownership. nt

[1776Forever]

20. You know ask the workers if they are happy with this employer I think they are the only ones that

count! Believe what you will. I think Ben & Jerry would have made sure they didn't sell their employees out! I think more of them then for that to have happened. Some companies, a few for sure, do care and Ben and Jerry both did.

Don't believe this either:

Ben & Jerry's Complete Rejection Of Conventional Wisdom
Posted by Brian Halligan
Mon, Nov 29, 2010 @ 11:08 AM

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7209/Ben-Jerry-s-Complete-Rejection-Of-Conventional-Wisdom.aspx#ixzz1a8Y6iMEq

Our biggest "win" as a company is our complete rejection of traditional marketing conventional wisdom. As you all know by now, we believe that traditional, outbound marketing (advertisements, email spam, cold calls, etc) is dying as people are getting sick of the interruptions and getting better at blocking them out (dvr's, pop-up blockers, Pandora, spam protection, CallerID, etc). It is this complete rejection of marketing conventional wisdom upon which we have built our company and it is working out pretty well so far (3600 customers today -- up from about 1600 customers a year ago).

Probably our second biggest "win" as a company is our near complete rejection of how "work" should happen and how the relationship between a company and its employees should operate. This rethinking of the work structure and culture has provided big benefits for us in that we have attracted really great employees who are highly motivated...

the company was named the #1 Place To Work by The Boston Business Journal and the #4 Place To Work by the Boston Globe.

[TBF]

24. Do you work for them? If you don't you should. nt

[1776Forever]

31. No I don't even live in Vermont - But I wish I did:) n/t

[TBF]

19. Another thing - Unilever operates like any multinational ... read here about how they threatened

to leave the UK because they didn't like to pay taxes ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7209715/Unilever-threatens-to-quit-UK-over-tax-burden.html

I know the ice cream is yummy :), but you've got to dig a little deeper here.

[1776Forever]

22. Please - did you see where it said Ben & Jerry's is NOT run like the rest of the companies? n/t

[TBF]

23. Marketing. But choose to believe what you like ... nt

[monmouth]

9. More importantly, did they send an ice cream truck or something for

the great throng? Imagine what a riot that would cause.. Chocolate please,Yummmm.

[ChandlerJr]

16. I hope not, that high fructose corn syrup they have started using

isn't supposed to be good for you.

[monmouth]

21. Yeah....but if they have chocolate well then...sigh...n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. I guess I need to go out and buy some Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Not that I ever needed an excuse.

[1776Forever]

15. Thanks! I agree - Let's do it:) n/t

[tropicanarose]

40. Haha! You said it......I love the mint ice cream with the oreo type cookies in it and

coffee with chocolate covered toffee inside (heath bar like) ... mmmm

[Gore1FL]

51. Yes Yes Yes!

Coffee Heath Bar Crunch is to die for.

[nomb]

25. Unilever is *not* your avg corp. Think Hudson Bay Co - But in the Belgian Congo. And they make

A couple of very, very uncool products:

Fair & Lovely Skin Whitening Cream, "The advertisements depicted dejected, dark-skinned women, who had been snubbed by employers and men, suddenly acquiring new boyfriends and glamorous careers after the cream had lightened their skin."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1556188/Indias-hue-and-cry-over-paler-skin.html
http://slacko.com/current-affairs/fair-lovely-desi-obsession-white-skin-tone.html


And in Austria, "The Austrian branch of Unilever (Eskimo) is producing and marketing an ice-cream under the name Mohr im Hemd. "Mohr" (moor), is a colonial German word for African or black people, has a heavily colonialist and racist connotation.,<36><37> "Mohr im Hemd" (moor in the shirt) is a traditional Austrian chocolate speciality which refers to naked, "wild" Africans."

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpqRVk6K6HfMSANsodG9IyL3Tv6QAL1CQOUKAu-O1zuE7a7_5Wag

[1776Forever]

29. OK - but again they are not running Ben & Jerry's like their other companies - Please read my other

posts. It was designated in their contract. If and when they do start to run it like their other companies I think we can all agree to boycott them.

[nomb]

48. What a joke. It's one of the ultimate scumbag corporations to ever exist.

[ChandlerJr]

27. BTW, Unilever trades on Wall Street

under the symbol UN

Unilever N.V. (ADR) (Public, NYSE:UN)
Dow Jones

31.90
-0.25 (-0.78%)
Oct 7 - Close
NYSE real-time data - Disclaimer
Currency in USD
Range 31.80 - 32.23
52 week 28.20 - 34.27
Open 31.92
Vol / Avg. 4.42M/4.13M
Mkt cap 89.36B
P/E 15.53

http://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NYSE:UN

[1776Forever]

28. And why should we be surprised? It is our way of doing business in this country. n/t

[TBF]

34. "It is our way of doing business in this country" . It sure is - and that's what we're protesting.

Well, what SOME of us are protesting anyway. :eyes:

[1776Forever]

35. If you took every stock market company and looked at them I think you would have to agree

they aren't all "bad". For instance look what Ford just did lately working with the Union:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/ford_motor_company/index.html

Ford Motor Company
2011 Contract Negotiations

Ford announced a new four-year labor contract with the United Automobile Workers union on Oct. 4. The company agreed to add 12,000 jobs and invest $6.2 billion in its United States plants. The numbers included 6,250 jobs and $2.4 billion in investment that it had previously announced...

...Ford said the deal brings work to the United States from Mexico, China and Japan. Including design work, engineering and other expenses, Ford said its total investment in the United States through 2015 would be $16 billion.

....G.M.’s deal gives workers a $5,000 signing bonus and $1,000 in each of the other three years. Ford workers — who, unlike their counterparts at G.M. and Chrysler, did not have to give up their right to strike if negotiations broke down — had been vocal about their desire for larger bonuses.

......

This is progress and I think that some who think we can change the entire way we do business overnight are not thinking of how long it takes things to change. I believe we need to start with changes like this and work upward! And I don't appreciate you being condescending to me. I have been a supporter of OWS from day one! I have posted constantly to encourage people to visit their site and help them out.

[TBF]

45. I am not protesting individual people or companies - it is capitalism that needs to go.

We need to replace it with something sustainable that puts people before profits - my vote is for socialism.

I don't mean to be condescending, I'm old and it may come out that way because I've said things so many times. If it did I certainly apologize. I am from the Reagan generation and it has been very frustrating - I remember Carter and have lived through 30+ years of very conservative rule since then (and Carter wasn't great either). As far as "how long it takes to change" - I think that will depend upon conditions. Conditions WILL dictate, not the other way around. When people lose their home & job they have nothing more to hold on to - and as these protest continue many will get more militant. It is not that they want to become violent, it is that they have nothing to lose.

The rich know this, and that is why they are mocking the protests and trying to undermine them with their "what are your demands" crap. I'll tell you what we demand - we demand an economic system in which folks are able to have a job, home, health care, and education, as basic human rights. I could go on but I'm way off topic as it is ...

[1776Forever]

56. OK in some way I get what you are saying but to do that I think we must be able to

stabilize our current situation and then move on. I don't think an immediate change in our financial structure will be able to be established in our lifetimes. I also believe a combination of Socialism and Capitalism, like they have in Sweden, would be the best alternative to reach the goals you but forth. I am more with you then against your ideas, just feel we all must be practical to get to that point in the future.

[TBF]

69. Conditions will dictate - stay tuned. I have a feeling things are going to move

much more quickly than either of us might think. All we can do is be ready.

[1776Forever]

33. Ben & Jerry's new CEO says it will stay in Vermont.........

Ben & Jerry's new CEO promises to keep it in Vermont
Updated 3/24/2010

....Ben & Jerry's has more autonomy than most of Unilever's brands, Solheim said. Ben & Jerry's is the only Unilever brand with its own board and its own CEO.

"It's not an ice cream brand. It's a company with a mission," he said, referring to Ben & Jerry's attempt to consider social and environmental causes.

Anglo-Dutch Unilever's ice cream division also owns Breyers, Klondike and Popsicle, according to the company's most recent annual report. The company has "400 brands spanning 14 categories of home, personal care and foods products," its website says.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2010-03-24-ben-and-jerrys-ceo-solheim_N.htm

(More at link)

...........

Good for them!!

[BOG PERSON]

36. n/t

[HomerRamone]

37. All hail Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls!

American Family Association Comes Out Against Ben & Jerry’s New Flavor ‘Schweddy Balls’

http://www.mediaite.com/online/american-family-association-comes-out-against-ben-jerry%e2%80%99s-new-flavor-schweddy-balls/

[peace frog]

67. Phish Food RULZ

:thumbsup:

[xxqqqzme]

77. New York

Super Fudge Chunk - A chocolate lovers dream come true!

[Stinky The Clown]

38. Either this is real or the honchos at mothership Unilever told them to act like they care.

I'm way too cynical these days.

[nomb]

49. It's a cornerstone of the corporate marketing plan. It's their business model - and it works.

[Zorra]

39. Ben and Jerry's Rocks! nt

[tropicanarose]

41. Woot! Ben and Jerry's has cajones........and true Schweddy Balls for America!

[Bette Noir]

42. Did the send ice cream, or only moral support?

Moral support is nice, but I'd bet the protesters would also like ice cream.

[Divine Discontent]

43. and leave it to Ben & Jerry to state the problems! awesome!

K&R!


http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128659602907896843?rf=238107662556833486

[Douglas Carpenter]

44. this from the Ben and Jerry's website regarding franchise inquiries

To be a Ben & Jerry's franchisee is to challenge yourself to operate a socially responsible business in every way possible. Our franchisees uphold our three-part mission statement. They believe in our values and they aren't afraid to stand up for something, like the environment, marriage equality or sensible federal budget priorities. They are in love with representing Ben & Jerry's in their neighborhoods, their cities, and their towns.

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/franchise-opportunities/

But basically I just like Ben and Jerry's ice cream the most. I love the names of their products like Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia.

.

[Zax2me]

47. said the most OVERpriced ice cream company in world...GREED

What nerve....from the company that charges full ice cream gallon prices for a couple pints.
That is GREED.
PERIOD.

[fascisthunter]

50. yeah... shame on them for supporting Americans

:eyes:

[Douglas Carpenter]

55. 8 ounces of Kobe beef fillet mignon cost more than 10 pounds of regular chuck roast too

Ben and Jerry's is the kobe beef of ice cream and worth every penny.

[Lorien]

72. They use quality ingredients, not corn syrup and starch from China. They pay their workers a

living wage. Ever been to their factory? Thought not. Sounds like YOU are the greedy one who wants American workers to work for as little as the Chinese do so it doesn't cost YOU anything more.

[nomb]

136. They do use Corn syrup and chemicals - in hundreds of plants in around 40 countries including here

It's just is.

And they use to have a limiting factor on how much the highest paid person could make compared to the lowest. It was at one time 8:1. They dropped that and no longer have any limits at all.

[wickerwoman]

82. The full gallon and the B&J pints

have the same amount of "stuff" in them but the gallon of ice cream has had its texture ruined by shitloads of air being beaten into it. If you want to pay the same amount for second rate ice cream and air, that's your business.

But it has fuck all to do with greed (except possibly on the part of the discount ice cream maker who knows that Americans are stupid enough to go for the biggest package without actually thinking about the quality of what's inside it.)

[Warren DeMontague]

110. GREED is the Vatican sitting on a pile of gold while saying "help the poor"

That's "greed", Jack. At least when you pay 2 bucks for Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream you get something tangible, i.e. ice cream.

Give your money to a church, and all you get is a pack of lies and hot air.

[joanbarnes]

52. Yet another reason to eat their ice cream!

[Enthusiast]

53. I appreciate Ben and Jerry's support of Occupy Wall Street.

[tcaudilllg]

54. Let's support Ben & Jerry's, because their wage is superior!

This is one board of directors that isn't afraid to forgo bonuses and dividends to help their employees make ends meet! /sarcasm.

[1776Forever]

57. You may think what you said was sarcasm but this is their policy - Seems pretty fair to me!..

http://www.benjerry.com/company/sear/2008/sear08_9.0.cfm

This was posted in 2008 but it is still on the website so I assume it is still in effect:

Ben & Jerry’s is committed to paying all of its full-time manufacturing workers a livable wage. In 1995 we established a method for calculating a livable wage benchmark for Vermont. We defined it as the starting wage for a single person that will sustain a reasonable quality of life to include expenditures for housing, utilities, out-of-pocket health care, transportation, food, recreation, savings, taxes, and miscellaneous expenses. Since then, we’ve adjusted this livable wage annually to ensure the relative value is sustained in today’s marketplace.

Ben & Jerry’s livable wage benchmark for 2008 started at $13.06 per hour, but we revised it upwards to $13.25 per hour halfway through the year in response to significant inflation in the broader economy in 2008 and specifically the rising cost of gasoline. This hourly wage translates to $27,560 per year. For comparison, in 2008, the minimum wage in Vermont was $8.06/hr ($16,765/yr) and the national minimum wage was $6.55/hr ($13,624).

Bonus Plan

Every full-time Ben & Jerry’s employee is eligible for some form of variable pay over and above their base pay. In 2008, Ben & Jerry’s salaried exempt employees and salaried non-exempt employees were eligible for the Variable Pay Award (VPA) plan which allocates bonuses based on the Company’s financial performance and the individual’s progress on goals and targets. Ben & Jerry’s company-owned scoop shop managers received variable pay through Ben & Jerry’s Retail Incentive Plan which is calculated based specifically on criteria relating to scoop shop sales and performance criteria.

Ben & Jerry’s full-time hourly manufacturing employees were eligible for bonuses and incentives in 2008 through a “Keys to Enterprise” (KTE) plan. The KTE payout in 2008 included cash; ‘Ben Bucks,’ our own in-house currency which can be redeemed in Company stores; and other awards. The average value of the KTE payout in our Vermont plants in 2008 was just over $510 per employee, up from $474 in 2007.

[Douglas Carpenter]

62. so that's the secret formula for making the best ice cream in the world

[tcaudilllg]

64. Are you telling me that every B&J employee makes double

the minimum wage? (or just a dollar under?)

[Whisp]

59. OccuPie - new flavour.

flavour of gum (sidewalk gum) and erm, chewing tobacco?

[L. Coyote]

65. Beans and Rice, with just a hint of salsa (read ketchup)

[2banon]

60. K&R'd

:thumbsup:

[L. Coyote]

61. REC from a Chunky Monkey fan.

Please cross-post major #Occupy news here:

***** OFFICIAL Occupy America BLOG
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2066540

[Douglas Carpenter]

63. anyone who doesn't love Chunky Monkey doesn't have a heart and will not go to heaven when they die

[SHRED]

66. That moooved me ...thanks

[NBachers]

68. I support Ben and Jerry's with my wallet. If someone doesn't like Ben and Jerry's, don't buy it.

[ProgressoDem]

70. I love the asinine replies to this thread.

Companies are not the problem. Even big companies are not the problem. Monstrous corporations, especially those on Wall Street that produce NOTHING and earn BILLIONS are the problem.

[harun]

71. Damn straight.

There are good and bad members of the "Corporate" community.

You have repeat offenders like B of A, United Health Care and Monsanto. Worst of the worst. But then, like you said, there are leaches that produce nothing, take billions, and have completely bought our politicians.

There is nothing wrong with wealth or size, it has to do with injustice and a rigged system.

[Douglas Carpenter]

74. well yes and in the real world there have been many workable examples of mixed economies where

capitalism and socialism mixed together under pluralistic multi-party democracy has created prosperous, free and secure societies. There has never ever even once been one single case ever in the history of the world where capitalism has been eradicated and replaced with a collectivist economy that did not turn into an impoverished totalitarian nightmare. This is simply a matter of a whether one wants to embrace a model that has been proven to work or a model that has been proven on every single occasion without any exceptions to fail and produce poverty, misery and dictatorship - and even worse - societies that do not have the social dynamics capable of creating something as wonderful as Chunky Monkey ice cream.

[nomb]

83. umm, there are people alive today that worked as slaves for Unilever in Congo - and their overseers.

It wasn't until the 19fucking50's that Africans in the Belgian Congo colony were able to own fucking land in their own country legally. It was the late 1950's when lending to an African was de-fucking-criminalized.

All this forgiven because they fucking offer chunky monkey and an infinitesimal percentage of the $100,000,000.00 dollars a day revenue stream to fucking fund posters with feel-good platitudes on them?

WTF!

[Douglas Carpenter]

84. Ben and Jerry's as you know operates separately under a separate board of directors then Uniliver

and under a mandate operates as socially responsible as any company possible can - as has been pointed out on numerous other post. Ben and Jerry's ice cream is certainly not produced by Congolese slave labor. Ben and Jerry's are certainly are not responsible for what Unilever did more than 60 years ago in Africa long before their first ice cream cone was ever sold.

[nomb]

85. It was bought with, and is owned by, money from the Belgian Congo Plantation trade. Blood Money.

[Douglas Carpenter]

86. oh that's where they got the money to buy Ben and Jerry's -- decades later..

[nomb]

87. Those people, the slaves and the masters, are still alive - and Unilever still relies on the

and Unilever still relies on the African commodities trade and is a major world player in those same raw materials.

[nomb]

89. Check out these Congolese workers that failed to meet their quota's.

Betcha they never try that shit again. Slackers.

[nomb]

88. You believe those slave billions are all spent? This is all new, fresh & clean Wealth? Really?

[Douglas Carpenter]

90. I just don't see how buying Ben and Jerry's ice cream supports slave labor in the Congo

[nomb]

91. It doesn't. Buying B & J's purpose is for marketing. Just like BP's foray into Green Energy. No diff

Unilever is not considered one of the good guys anywhere outside the US.

[Douglas Carpenter]

92. But Ben and Jerry's is considered one of the good guys and they operate largely independently

That was one of the conditions of their purchase agreement. A commitment to social responsibility and progressive values was one of the conditions of their purchase agreement. They do not even accept and will not approve franchises even in their international arrangements from those who will not commit themselves to community social responsibility and a solid commitment to progressive values - even from investors who have all the liquid assets. That is something very few franchise operations do.

To be a Ben & Jerry's franchisee is to challenge yourself to operate a socially responsible business in every way possible. Our franchisees uphold our three-part mission statement. They believe in our values and they aren't afraid to stand up for something, like the environment, marriage equality or sensible federal budget priorities.

http://www.benjerry.com/scoop-shops/franchise-opportunities/

[nomb]

93. Post sale: Battery chickens, False "natural" labeling, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Carrageenan

You've been duped no less than a McDonald's All-American food aficionado ...

[Douglas Carpenter]

94. so if you don't like Ben and Jerry's - what is your favorite ice cream? Hagan Daz perhaps?

Actually I just really love Ben and Jerry's ice cream - just as I really like Krispy Kreme donuts. They are simply the best tasting of all the major brands. And the fact that Ben and Jerry's tries to be a bit socially responsible, treats their employees well, require social responsibility from their franchise operators and have publicly announced their full support for the Occupy Wall Street movement are toppings on the sundae.

[nomb]

95. I only make my own. For real. :) .... here's a great recipe:

Best recipe: Vanilla Ice Cream


2 cups each Cream. half and half and milk = total 6 cups

1/2 cup sugar

good pinch of kosher salt

tablespoon Vanilla extract

1 Vanilla pod (you may substitute another tablespoon of Vanilla extract for this)

tablespoon brandy or Rum (Optional, it shapes the flavor profile and helps pull from the Vanilla pod during the simmer. It does not make it a rum or brandy flavor)

Simmer 8 minutes and then chill before churning.

[Douglas Carpenter]

96. that sound like a good thing to do. I have made some attempts at making my own ice cream

but I guess I need to get some better equipment and work on it a bit more. But most people are not up to it. I would make a wild guess that if you looked into the background of the various businesses that produce and distribute the materials and equipment that you need for making your own ice cream, - you might find some disturbing information. That is the real world.

[nomb]

98. If I knew of living links to the darkest of all colonial horrors - I would speak out again.

The worst part about the Ben & Jerry's scam is how transparent the ploy is.


It's not even a pale imitation of the product it once was.

[Douglas Carpenter]

99. is there a public relations/marketing side to all of this political correctness just as has been

reported with Body Shop and other businesses that promote themselves as socially responsible? Of course there is. I wasn't born yesterday and I have lived in the third world most of my life. But there is only so much one can expect from an unjust world. It is better that Ben and Jerry's or Body Shop or whoever feel the need to uphold some standards and promote that in their marketing than to not even attempt any social consciousness at all.

[nomb]

101. Did you also swallow BP's Green Credentials? Those were sweet ads and good cause investments

[Douglas Carpenter]

105. no

[nomb]

103. They don't walk the walk. Battery Chickens, chemicals, false advertising of "Natural"

[Douglas Carpenter]

108. Ben and Jerry's is simply not claiming that they do not use ingredients that they do in fact use.

[nomb]

111. Clarify please?

[Douglas Carpenter]

118. Ben and Jerry's discloses their ingredients that they use for making their ice cream

[nomb]

120. Post sale: They are now chemicals, fillers and industrial sweeteners

[Douglas Carpenter]

123. and are they not disclosing their ingredients?

[nomb]

125. It is no longer the honest unique product it was - just a premium industrial grade mass market food

[Douglas Carpenter]

129. well that is not how I have found it. Granted I have been living until recently in part of the

world where Ben and Jerry's was not available and I had to make do with Hagen Daz. I find Ben and Jerry's to be by far the best mass produced ice cream on the market anywhere in the world I have been. If it was once better than it is now, I regret that I missed those days because of my geographic location. But I can find it now in one locations where I am currently living and I surely enjoy it. Industrial grade is surely not the words that come to my mind.

[nomb]

131. Go try to buy these B&J ingrediants: (That is why it's Industrial Grade Food - for its makeup)

Liquid Sugar, Corn Syrup, Coconut Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Caramel And Red Cabbage Juice Extract (For Color), Guar Gum, Milkfat, Soya Lecithin, Carrageenan


That's just one flavor. One of the other major ingredients? Water.



http://obrag.org/?p=9046

[Douglas Carpenter]

133. so is it fair to say that you do not approve of any mass produced products made by any

medium to large scale manufacturer?

[nomb]

135. Do you not make a distinction between living slave owners and everyone else?

Unilever is not theoretically dirty they ran slave plantations in the fucking Belgian Congo using slaves that still walk the earth as testament.

[nomb]

100. B&J really came under pressure after a 1997 law that allowed Veg fat for the first time. Breyers

This was the same time Breyers dropped their old formula as well.


Remember the old classic ad of the child trying to read the ingredients off an ice cream and the words are too hard to pronounce - and then he picks up a Breyers carton and reads the FOUR ingredients that were listed on it?

That ad can NOT be found anywhere on the internet...... Scrubbed by corporate.


Just like Unilever's dirty money is being laundered by the B&J Corporation. No one will ever remember...

[Douglas Carpenter]

102. I doubt that there is any evidence that Ben and Jerry's is in the money laundering business

The operate pretty much independently and they make a very tasty and creative product.

[nomb]

104. They clean blood money to make money that can be acceptable at cocktail parties.

[Douglas Carpenter]

107. again there simply isn't much of case that Ben and Jerry's is laundering blood money or any kind of

money for anyone.

[nomb]

112. So those were clean Billions that bought B&J? Not Congolese colonial wealth?

[Douglas Carpenter]

114. how old was Ben or Jerry when these things were going on in the Congo?

I suspect they were just little kids at the time. To say that it was Congolese colonial wealth that purchased them a number of decades later is a bit of a stretch to say the least. Besides Ben and Jerry's operates independently with its own independent board of directors. Nothing Ben and Jerry's has ever done has ever supported slave labor in the Congo.

[nomb]

116. Would you say that Ford's wealth came from cars? Unilever still is huge in the colonial "trades"

[Douglas Carpenter]

122. and Ben and Jerry's operates independently

I doubt that one can go through a single day of their life with out using a number of products that were in whole or in part manufactured in the third world,

[nomb]

127. It doesn't look that way when you see battery chickens, false advertising of "natural" and chemicals

But if that's what they told you....

[Douglas Carpenter]

132. if you simply don't approve of any medium to large size manufacturer

or a subdivision of a large manufacturer - then I must assume that nothing Ben and Jerry's or any other medium to large scale manufacturer would do would ever be acceptable to you

[nomb]

134. Do you not make a distinction between living slave owners and everyone else?

Unilever is not theoretically dirty they ran slave plantations in the fucking Belgian Congo using slaves that still walk the earth as testament.

[Douglas Carpenter]

137. that has nothing to do with the Ben and Jerry's operation - that's ludicrous

[Warren DeMontague]

117. Are you writing your posts from the North American continent?

The land you're sitting on is soaked with blood, theft & oppression. There's no such thing as "clean" billions. The past can't be changed. What's important is what is going on NOW.

[nomb]

124. Big diff between ghosts and living embodiments like the Allianz of the world.

[Warren DeMontague]

126. I think when companies- like Ben & Jerry's- TRY to do the right thing

we should applaud them.

[nomb]

128. It's a marketing schtick. No doubt you felt yourself too smart to fall for such a gimmick.....

[Warren DeMontague]

138. Everything is a marketing schtick, in one form or another. Christians whose altruism is supposed to

convince "God" to let them into heaven. The dude who helps a little old lady across the street knowing that a hot girl is watching.

What precise criteria would you use to distinguish between a corporation doing the right thing to improve its image and a corporation doing the right thing out of a "pure" motivation? :shrug:

[Lorien]

73. Their real objections are to OWS, They are smearing Ben & Jerry's because they

don't like what the board stands for. Not so closeted Freepers, all of them.

[Warren DeMontague]

109. Yeah, but the guy in the dorm room next to mine, who has the big che poster

told me that the whole capitalist system needs to be dismantled, man, and instead of arguing about bourgeois concerns like a livable wage or single payer health care or sensible regulations on speculative trading and 'creative financial instruments', we REALLY need to TEAR THE MOTHERFUCKER DOWN, MAN!!! ANARCHYYYYYY!!!

He was going to say something else, but then he realized that he needed to call his dad since this month's check is late.

[allan01]

76. Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors send this to OWS: To those who Occupy: We stand with you.

Bravo( my first post)

[1776Forever]

79. Welcome to DU! Thank you for the post - Please do many more:) Allan01 n/t

:hi:

[NBachers]

80. And a worthy post it was, Allan01

Sheesh, I've seen people brand the Grateful Dead as corporate Marin County socialites. And they've got the arguments to back it up.

[kag]

97. So, you popped your DU cherry, huh? Welcome!

May it be the first of many!

:toast:

[colsohlibgal]

78. It Grows And Grows

Way to go Ben and Jerry, I'd eat more of your ice cream if almost all of it wasn't chock full of sat fat.

The momentum is building and I'm seeing more fear from the 1%, at least the 1% who aren't with us.

[Warren DeMontague]

106. Yes, but they sell stuff. For money.

Doesn't that make them, like, evil? :shrug:

[nomb]

113. No. But Unilever's wealth from Belgian Congolese Slave labor does.

[Warren DeMontague]

115. There is a tremendous amount of wealth in the USA that can be traced back to slave labor, too

Or are we talking about something that Ben & Jerry's could take up the chain to the corporate board of directors at Unilever now?

Please, if you've got links to current abuses, I'll read them.


We're sure this is about the Belgian Congo and not, say, Unilever making sexy ads that upset the puritans and authoritarian anti-sex doily clutchers on the right & left?

[nomb]

119. This was up till the '50's when Africans were first allowed to own land or borrow money in Congo

[Warren DeMontague]

121. Post #115

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2077044&mesg_id=2082931

[nomb]

130. It is now, Right now there are living Congolese that slaved for Unilever and the nations wealth is

And that nations wealth still sits in the Corporate coffers. It was used to buy B&J, no less.

This is not the theoretical guilt of the west - this is Unilever's immediate history.


Both the Slave overseers and the Belgian Congolese slaves themselves still having living members of that time walking the earth. Some of those slaves were just children then and would be no older than Ben and Jerry themselves today.

[Tx4obama]

139. Hey Ben & Jerry's, send all the protesters some ice cream ASAP !!! n/t