Beyond the Cone: 7 Unexpected Ways You Do Good By Eating Ben & Jerry's

Like most good things in life, ice cream tastes best when it serves a greater purpose. The scoops are more scoop-tacular, the swirls are totally swirl-icious, and our famous chunks reach new heights of, well, chunk-ability. To show how something as simple as ice cream can be a major change-maker, we've rounded up a list of ways how eating Ben & Jerry's can make the world a better place.

Supporting equal rights for all.

We know for a fact that just about any flavor combination can be delicious, as long as there’s love in the mix. And the same goes for people combinations! Ben & Jerry’s cares deeply about social justice, including marriage equality for all. We believe that loving couples of all kinds should be free to marry, no matter what their favorite flavor. Love is love.

The brownies in Chocolate Fudge Brownie taste good AND do good.

Ben & Jerry’s brownies are baked by Greyston Bakery, a company that provides jobs and training to job-seeking folks who could use a helping hand. So every time you bite into that chewy, chocolate goodness, you’re lending a hand to someone that you’ll probably never even meet. Now that’s a pretty sweet deal for everyone!

Helping prevent a meltdown.

There’s nothing cool about climate change. That’s why Ben & Jerry’s does all we can to reduce our environmental footprint. From sustainable agricultural practices to taking a stand for climate justice, Ben & Jerry’s is chipping in to help your ice cream (and the polar ice caps) stay frozen, longer.

Making egg-cellent ice cream with happy chickens.

When it comes to using the best possible ingredients in every pint, Ben & Jerry’s really gives a cluck. All the eggs that go into Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the United States come from happy chickens on Certified Humane cage-free farms.

Giving back to local communities.

You don’t have to rule the world to change it, because it all starts with your local community. For us, Whether it’s using dairy from local Vermont cows or fostering Scoop Shops that are locally owned and operated, we believe that the best change we can make is right up the road. 

Supporting responsible business.

In 1988, Ben & Jerry’s was one of the first companies in the world to place a social mission in equal importance to its product and economic missions. Since then, the movement has grown and now has a unifying set of principles and criteria on which to evaluate socially responsible businesses, it’s called the “B Corp” movement (or Benefit Corporation movement).

Even turn a frown upside down.

We call it Chocolate Therapy for a reason. The orbitofrontal cortex -- the part of your brain that rewards you when you make a good decision -- lights up with just one bite of ice cream, according to science. If you choose a flavor with chocolate, even better—because cacao beans contribute to the body’s production of endorphins. So go ahead, unwind and give yourself a therapy session... and share the good vibes with a friend!