You may recall that a few months back I heralded the arrival of Ben & Jerry’s icecream to our shores. Next week (on my birthday no less) the founders of said icecream purveyors will be in my building discussing their experiences.

The public lecture is billed as
Doing well by doing good – a seminar about sustainable and community friendly business practices.

Here’s the blurb:

Back in 1978, close friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, armed with a $5 correspondence course in ice cream making, opened their first Scoop Shop in a dilapidated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. Whilst they occasionally disagreed on the size of the chunks going into the ice cream, one thing they did agree on was having fun. As Jerry put it, “ if it’s not fun, why do it?”. They also decided from the start that business has a responsibility to give back to the community in which it operates, a philosophy that is still important to the business today. 30 years on, with a continued focus on sourcing the finest ingredients to create euphoric chunks & swirls, Ben & Jerry’s now operates in over 30 countries, spreading joy for the belly and soul across the globe with a mission to make the best possible ice cream in the nicest possible way, using business as a tool for social and environmental change.

The seminar is open to the public and on 25 November, 12 – 1pm, Level 5, The Spot (198 Berkeley St, Parkville, Victoria).

I’ll be there to report back for all of you blog readers.

Posted in Retailing, Strategic management