• Ben & Jerry’s execs have pledged to go 100 percent Fair Trade Certified by the end of 2013.
• The company has sourced from Fair Trade farmers since long before there was an official certification in the United States.
• Currently, five Ben & Jerry’s 60 pint flavors are Fair Trade Certified: Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, Milk and Cookies, and Chocolate Macadamia.

Since its first scoop shop opened in 1978, famed ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has been at the forefront of social change. From protecting the environment (with flavors like Rainforest Crunch and Phish Food) to standing up for equal rights (Hubby Hubby), the company consistently and successfully uses its product to promote its social agenda.  Its newest initiative, however, is an effort far bigger and more challenging than any it has ever taken on before. In an unprecedented move, Ben & Jerry’s executives have pledged to make all of its edible goodies 100 percent Fair Trade Certified by the end of 2013, a huge undertaking for a company that uses hundreds of ingredients in its many offbeat flavors.

“By buying Fair Trade products – and there’s a lot more than just ice cream out there – you can help farmers in the developing world earn a decent wage,” explained Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s. While this official initiative is new, Ben & Jerry’s is no stranger to the concept.  The company has sourced from Fair Trade farmers since long before there was an official certification in the United States. By buying this way, Ben & Jerry’s aims to support, rather than exploit, farmers in the developing world, said Cohen. The vow to go 100 percent Fair Trade in 2013 means that nearly every department within Ben & Jerry’s needs to adjust, but, to a company that includes a commitment to social good in its core mission statement, the end result is well worth the extra work.

“Fair Trade gives ordinary Americans a way, through their purchasing decisions and their shopping dollars, to vote for a better world every time they go to the store, drink a cup of coffee, buy a banana, buy ice cream,” said Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party Fair Trade certifier in the United States, which has partnered with Ben & Jerry’s to implement this effort.

Without Fair Trade, farmers in the Third World can be forced to sell their crops for very little money. To combat this injustice, Fair Trade USA implements a system of rigorous criteria to ensure that farmers around the globe are treated with dignity and respect, and that consumers receive food that adheres to strict economic, social and environmental standards.  Thanks to the efforts of Fair Trade USA, more than one million small family farmers in 60 countries around the world now receive a decent price for their crops.

Fair Trade is the best way for money to reach farmers directly,” said Mbusa Joseph, a vanilla farmer at a Fair Trade Certified co-op in Uganda that does business with Ben & Jerry’s. “Charity passes through so many hands before it reaches the people it needs to help.” The Fair Trade movement ensures that money goes directly to the farmers and has the most impact. “My kids now go to school. They’re very, very happy.  To me, Fair Trade has changed my life,” added Kato Bernard, another farmer at the co-op.

While Fair Trade ingredients are often priced higher than their uncertified counterparts, Ben & Jerry’s is willing to absorb this added cost and accept a smaller profit margin on its products. The company has pledged that incorporating Fair Trade ingredients will not result in a higher priced product for consumers.

Currently, five Ben & Jerry’s pint flavors are Fair Trade Certified: Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, Milk and Cookies, and Chocolate Macadamia. By the end of 2013, the more than 60 Ben & Jerry’s flavors will all follow suit.

To join the Fair Trade movement, look for the Fair Trade Certified label on these and dozens of other products.