Ben & Jerry's PartnerShop Program Creates Opportunities for Disadvantaged Youth
| Region(s) | Vermont, USA |
|---|---|
| In domains | Food and Beverage Industry, Giving Back to the Community, Local Economic Development |
| Participants | Ben & Jerry's |
Ben & Jerry's produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and ice cream novelties, using high-quality ingredients including milk and cream from family farmers who do not treat their cows with the synthetic hormone rBGH. The company states its position on rBGH on its labels. Ben and Jerry's products are distributed nationwide and in selected foreign countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Contributions made via the employee led Ben & Jerry's Foundation in 2007 totaled approximately $1.7 million. Additionally, the company makes significant product donations to community groups and nonprofits across the nation. The purpose of Ben & Jerry's philanthropy is to support the founding values of the company: economic and social justice, environmental restoration and peace through understanding.
The objective of the PartnerShop Program is to help non-profit organizations with youth reinsertion.
In their PartnerShop Program, Ben & Jerry’s team up with community-based organizations to help youth in difficulty build better lives. How do they do this?
1. A Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop is set up and run independently by a youth-serving nonprofit organization
2. The standard franchise fees and royalty fees are waived
3. Additional support is provided such as job and entrepreneurial training for youth and young adults who may face barriers to employment
4. As PartnerShop operators, nonprofits retain their business proceeds to support their programs
Here are two examples of PartnerShops:
The first PartnerShop in the Pacific Northwest opened in October, 2004. This PartnerShop, owned and operated by New Avenues for Youth, a nonprofit organization serving Portland’s homeless youth, provides supportive employment and job training to help youth build skills which can help move them off the streets and into stable and positive living situations.
In July of 2005, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit opened the Woodward Avenue scoop shop, located in the Compuware World Headquarters building in the heart of downtown Detroit. Goodwill empowers people who have disabilities and other barriers to employment to become independent and self-reliant. This mission is accomplished through a variety of training and work experience opportunities, and employment in the community.
Reinforces the image of a socially responsible company which has been the foundation of Ben & Jerry’s success.
Worldwide brand visibility in Partnershops
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