2024 Impact Awards winner: Unilever Canada | Ben & Jerry’s

Central to Ben & Jerry’s mission is the belief that all three parts of its mission (product, social and economic) must thrive equally in a manner that commands deep respect for individuals inside and outside the company and supports the communities of which they are a part. 

One such community is Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario. 

Ben & Jerry’s has been supporting Grassy Narrows’ campaigns to stop unwanted mining and logging on their territory, and to hold the provincial government responsible for the long-term impact of mercury waste dumping, which occurred in the 1960s. 

This has meant supporting the community with online rallies, in-person rallies, community dinners and events, canvassing and gathering petitions and digital promotion. 

In summer 2022, the Unilever-owned company set up ice cream trucks around Toronto, using ice cream as an opportunity to talk to people about the Grassy Narrows and gather signatures for their petition to the government. 

As well, the company featured the Indigenous community on its Into the Mix podcast, giving people an opportunity to share their story with an international audience. 

Since Ben & Jerry’s began working with the community, several mining companies have withdrawn their mining permits and committed to not mining on Grassy Narrows traditional territory.