It was announced this past week that Ben and Jerry’s will be adding operations down under and opening a new flagship Scoop Shop in Sydney Australia. This is good news for Australians who have posted Facebook groups demanding a supply of Ben and Jerry’s in their country. The arrival of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream also is welcome news to disadvataged youth living near the coming Scoop Shop in Sydney. Sticking to their traditional business model, Ben and Jerry’s plans to give back to the local community by partnering with Mission Australia to employ local disadvantaged youth in their flagship Scoop Shop.

This is not the only socially responsible partnership that Ben and Jerry’s is part of.

Greyston Bakery (a Helping Hands Rewards partner) has long been the producer of brownies used in Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavors such as Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Half Baked, and Dave’s Magic Brownies. Since 1988, the production of brownies used in their ice cream has helped several thousand lives turn around.

The mission of Greyston is to provide employment and support services to former homeless, low-income and disenfranchised people and their families. To hire and train those who otherwise might not ever find a job. Also to get them on the path out of poverty and on to self-sufficiency. So far this has worked well with over 2,000 lives a year being affected by the good coming out of the bakery. This idea has even captured the attention of national media, with the Today show featuring a news clip about Greyston Bakery.

The slogan of Greyston is simple yet powerful: “We don’t hire people to bake brownies. We bake brownies to hire people.”

What is your company doing for people?