Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., shared their business philosophy with attendees of the Fredericksburg Forum on Saturday in Dodd Auditorium.
Their multi-million dollar enterprise uses products created by socially responsible businesses and has begun utilizing only fair-trade ingredients in their ice cream.
Patron ticket holders enjoyed a special treat—a sampling of Ben & Jerry’s signature ice cream flavors, including Cherry Garcia and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
Since Cohen and Greenfield served the first Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Burlington, Vt., in 1978, the company has grown into a multi-million dollar entity with an international presence.
Cohen and Greenfield received the Corporate Giving Award from the Council on Economic Priorities in 1988 and were named U.S. Small Businesspersons of the Year by President Ronald Reagan the same year. Their bestselling 1997 book “Ben & Jerry’s Double-Dip: How to Run a Values-Led Business and Make Money, Too” uses their experiences at the helm of Ben & Jerry’s to illustrate their views on socially conscious entrepreneurship. Greenfield currently serves as president of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield pose with students and administrators of the Center for Honor, Leadership and Service.
