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 by Martha Hammond
When Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield first set up Ben & Jerrys in 1978, they believed that their ice-cream business should have a social conscience and be responsible to the Vermont community it served.
We had no idea of what we were doing, Jerry told me when I met him in London, on a hot summers day, perfect for eating ice-cream. So,without the support of our community we would have been lost.
 Almost 40 years on, Ben & Jerrys serves a much larger community, being enjoyed in countries around the world. No longer owned by Ben and Jerry, this now global company still works hard to maintain its original ethics; holding annual thank you festivals in the USA and the UK, where free ice-cream and good music result in a great, family friendly day out.
This is a company serious about using its influence to try to inform society and change the populations habits. In 2005, they worked with WWF and Pole Track to set up Climate Change College, helping six young people to become empowered and informed about climate change.
It went swimmingly, said Jerry when I asked him about the Colleges i rst year. I loved Greenland. We visited remote villages near the glaciers and saw how the melting ice caps are affecting their way of life It was wonderful to watch the students develop from being passionate, but underinformed, into knowledgeable ambassadors now working to publicise what is happening.
The three UK Climate Change Ambassadors attended Ben & Jerrys Sundae in the park on Clapham Common in London, where they engaged festival goers on the climate change debate, encouraging everyone to sign pledges to cut their own carbon emissions.
Climate Change College has been a very successful scheme and it is now taking applications for its second year. But the motto at Ben & Jerrys seems to be onwards and upwards, as the company is now involved in more ethical endeavours. Last year they made history with the launch of Europe's first ever Fairtrade vanilla ice-cream. This new flavour is made using sugar from the Manduvirá Co-operative in Paraguay and vanilla from four co-operatives of small holders in India.
 Speaking to me about the differences that working with the co-operative is having on his life, sugar farmer Luis Ruiz Diaz said: We can now provide ourselves better health care and improve our standard of living. I can send my children to school, give them the education and opportunities to do the job they wish. Ben & Jerrys are launching the new Vanilla as the start of an on-going commitment to Fairtrade ingredients. UK brand manager, Philippa Marshall, told me that they were hoping to relaunch other popular Fairtrade ice-creams in the near future.
benjerry.co.uk
climatechangecollege.org
Photos: © Martha Hammond
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