Ben & Jerry’s is amongst the businesses whose supply chains utilize migrant child labor, often in violation of kid labor laws, despite the corporate’s self-proclaimed progressive values and vowing to “honor and stand with” immigrants.
A Recent York Times exposé, released earlier this week, interviewed greater than 100 migrant children in greater than 20 states “who described jobs that were grinding them into exhaustion, and fears that they’d change into trapped in circumstances they never could have imagined.” The report detailed children as young as 13 working 12-hour days, often overnight shifts before going to highschool through the day, with a purpose to survive.
The report said migrant children are employed in the provision chain for major firms like Walmart, Goal, Whole Foods, Ford, General Motors and Ben & Jerry’s, amongst others.
Ben & Jerry’s, a self-described progressive company, told Fox News Digital that it’s “against child labor” and has worked to make sure fair compensation and safety of farmworkers.
“Ben & Jerry’s is against child labor of any kind in any way. The corporate has a longtime track record standing for justice and equity for all including five plus years with Milk with Dignity supporting migrant staff. The Milk with Dignity Standards Council ensures that farmworkers are fairly compensated for his or her labor, work in healthy conditions, and builds in additional safeguards for individuals who are 16 and 17,” a spokesperson for the corporate said.
Ben & Jerry’s, a self-described progressive company, said it’s “against child labor” and has worked to make sure fair compensation and safety of farmworkers.REUTERS
Ben & Jerry’s head of values-led sourcing, Cheryl Pinto, “said that if migrant children needed to work full time, it was preferable for them to have jobs at a well-monitored workplace,” based on the Recent York Times.
But national child labor laws prevent children younger than 16 from working greater than three hours or after 7 p.m. on school nights, aside from farms.
Ben & Jerry’s has also been known for taking a stance on controversial political initiatives, often naming ice cream flavors in support of, or opposition to, controversial issues.
Co-founder Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s hands out pamphlets in front of the Supreme Court in 2021.REUTERS
In 2018, the corporate released a latest flavor, “Pecan Resist,” which was designed to send a message about resisting the Trump administration.
“We honor & stand with women, immigrants, people of color, & the tens of millions of activists and allies who’re courageously resisting the President’s attack on our values, humanity and environment,” Ben & Jerry’s wrote on its website. “We have a good time the variety of our glorious nation and lift our spoons in solidarity for all Americans.”
Other politically charged flavors have included EmpowerMINT, released in 2016 to attract attention to claims of voter suppression, and I Dough, I Dough, a short lived name change to the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor in support of the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Co-founder Jerry Greenfield with Rev. Jesse Jackson in 2021.REUTERS
Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy frozen dessert, “Change the Whirled,” honors former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s “activism in pursuit of racial justice,” and his portion of the proceeds are donated to the Know Your Rights Camp.
The mission of Kaepernick’s Know your Rights Camp is to “advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of latest systems that elevate the following generation of change leaders.”
The Know Your Rights camp didn’t immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.