Jerry Greenfield

“It's pretty rare to have CEOs or high level executives at big companies who are social activists. They tend not to be drawn to those areas of life.”

“I like that Ben & Jerry's is willing to speak out about social and political issues that aren't always safe - but are the right thing to do.”

“I guess I harboured hopes that things would happen more quickly, but I'm not disappointed.”

“Ben & Jerry's evolved into what it is doing and is trying to transition its supply chain, but this is essentially retrofitting. In the social enterprise movement, we see companies whose essence, the products they make, the reason they exist from day one, is because these people see something out in the world that they cannot accept.”

“If your support the community, they will support you.”

“Recycling, packaging, businesses are changing all of those things because that's what consumers want.”

“Ice cream is the perfect buffer, because you can do things in a somewhat lighthearted way. Plus, people have an emotional response to ice cream; it's more than just food. So I think when you combine caring, and eating wonderful food, it's a very powerful combination.”

“One out of every 100 families in Vermont was a part owner of Ben and Jerry's.”

“I eat many different ice creams. I'm not an ice cream snob, although I do think Ben & Jerry's is the best. But I'm happy to eat anybody's ice cream, really. As long as it's good.”

“If you open up the mind, the opportunity to address both profits and social conditions are limitless. It's a process of innovation.”

“Look at your business and the activities that you undertake. Then, start to think about not just your economic concerns, but about social and environmental impacts that businesses have.”

“So much business is based on the belief that we should do whatever we can within legal limits to make as much money as we can. Ben & Jerry's was based on values, and we try to operate a business that not just sells ice cream but partners with all our stakeholders - whether that's suppliers or customers - to bring about a more sustainable world.”

“I'm a pretty laid-back kind of guy. What I've always wanted to do is set up situations in our company where if people who worked there needed help, we would try to help them, and at the same token if the company needed help from people, they would help us. A kind of give and take.”

“Businesses typically look at issues like price, quality, time of delivery. They don't often think about social and environmental impact because they're focused on their financial bottom line.”

“Ben & Jerry's is an indulgent dessert that should be eaten in moderation. You should not be replacing more than one meal a day with ice cream. We do not consider a pint or a tub of ice cream to be a single serving.”

“We measured our success not just by how much money we made, but by how much we contributed to the community. It was a two-part bottom line.”

“Business can be a source of progressive change.”

“You know, I get frustrated with our country's administration, which is really the people who are not acknowledging global warming. I mean, it's accepted by scientists around the world, scientists in our country and it's accepted by every country around the world with the exception of the United States.”

“If you happen to believe what Ben & Jerry's is supporting and involved in, then you should support the company. If you don't believe in what we are supporting, don't support it.”

“Now, when we face a problem like global warming, and you understand that the biggest impacts on global warming come from business and industry, I think business needs to take a leading role.”