RATING:
Long before most American companies were worrying about carbon footprints or planning volunteer days for employees, ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s was pioneering the idea of social activism through for-profit business. The “Ben” of Ben & Jerry’s is the co-author of this casually styled but passionate tome from 2006 espousing the now-familiar “triple-bottom line” of profit, people and planet.
As described in the book, only recently has society created enough wealth to raise the common standard of living above sheer survival. There are laws assuring employee rights, benefits and working conditions now, but for most companies—even those that treat their employees to generous salaries and benefits—the profit motive remains the primary driver of policy. That businesses can be agents of change far beyond their own markets is a gospel this pair preaches.
