“…a fascinating look behind the scenes of a company as beloved as the ice cream they make.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times bestselling author and co-editor of The Economic Hardship Reporting Project
In 2011, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center gave Ben & Jerry’s one of its highest honors. This book explains why.
—Martin Luther King III, human rights activist
“As this fine telling of the Ben & Jerry’s story indicates, it’s harder than it looks to integrate consumer capitalism and political integrity. There are lessons here: hard ones, and of course some sweet ones.”
—Bill McKibben, author, Oil and Honey: The Making of an Unlikely Activist
—United States Senator Patrick Leahy
“Brad Edmondson vividly conveys the passion, conflicts, and raw humanity behind an iconic brand. He gives us an uncensored look at how smart, caring people poured their hearts and souls into making Ben & Jerry’s the standard-bearer for ‘caring capitalism.’ The story leaves the reader in awe of all they achieved, and it also imparts invaluable lessons by talking frankly about their failures. It puts on full display the contradictions and painful choices that eventually confront all successful mission-driven businesses. It’s a journey into uncharted territory.”
—Rink Dickinson, cofounder and copresident, and Rob Everts, copresident, Equal Exchange
—Eric Utne, founder, Utne Reader
“What once was radical is becoming mainstream. By earning B Corp certification, Ben & Jerry’s has proven that you can sell without selling out and scale with integrity. Much of the global movement to redefine success in business stands on its shoulders, and much of what we know about better practices and better governance can be traced to lessons the company learned the hard way. Finally, this important story has been well and completely told.”
—Jay Coen Gilbert, cofounder, B Lab
—Lynn A. Stout, Distinguished Professor of Corporate & Business Law, Cornell University Law School
“The founders of Ben & Jerry’s put up a long and determined fight to keep their dream of a socially responsible company intact. Cutthroat capitalism doesn’t make it easy for entrepreneurs who want living wages for their employees, environmentally sustainable ingredients, and socially beneficial business practices. Brad Edmondson gives us a fascinating look behind the scenes of a company as beloved as the ice cream it makes.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times bestselling author and Founding Editor, Economic Hardship Reporting Project
—Madeleine M. Kunin, former governor of Vermont
“St. Albans Cooperative has been a proud partner of Ben & Jerry’s since the beginning. Through all of its organizational changes, it has remained committed to its core values, family dairy farms, and the cooperative. I am proud to be part of this story.”
—Ralph McNall, dairy farmer, St. Albans Cooperative Creamery
—Wayne Silby, Founding Chair, Calvert Funds, and cofounder, Social Venture Network