When Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was just a starting to become popular, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream was one of the first organizations to embrace it and make it a part of their branding. They called it Corporate Kindness and they brought to the forefront there is a ‘coolness’ factor and a ‘right thing to do’ factor in treating the world, your community and your employees with care and consideration.

In 1988, Ben & Jerry’s received the Corporate Giving Award from the Council on Economic Priorities, presented by Joanne Woodward at a reception in New York City, for donating 7.5 percent of its pre-tax income to non-profit organizations through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. Ben & Jerry has a 3 part mission – 1-product mission, 2-social mission & 3–economic mission. Their brand, their product, their PR and their mission was in perfect alignment. They were clear about what they believed and why they were making ice cream, beyond the usual – for profit only. Don’t get me wrong, we are all in the business to make a living but most people respond to the core belief of why your company has chosen to sell that particular product or service.

All, I can say is kudos for you, Ben & Jerry’s! You can do both— run a business and practice Corporate Social Responsibility. There is one tiny thing, though, the Mr. Ben & Mr. Jerry sold their company to a big giant corporation, Unilever. According to them, Unilever will now be practicing CSR as part of the agreement.

Today, not only are the employees asking the company they work for to do more for the community but the customer is also asking the same question.