We’ve always had an appetite for ice cream and a hunger for social justice here at Ben & Jerry’s. We’re not afraid to speak up about issues we care about, and have stood up for a fair few issues over the years from marriage equality to animal welfare and getting the dough out of politics - all striving to help create a sweeter world for all to embrace and enjoy. As a certified B-Corp, Ben & Jerry’s, and over 1,000 companies worldwide, aims to use business as a force for good for people and the planet. At the core of all causes we stood up for is a call for equality, and our underlying message of peace and love.

Interpeace and Ben & Jerry’s share many of the same values and it is these shared values that were the foundation for our partnership. We both believe that the world is better when we focus on what unites, rather than divides us. Creating a more inclusive and welcoming society starts with a belief that people from all backgrounds, nationalities, ethnic origins and religions have the opportunity to take a full and active role in society. Interpeace have been working in Sweden since 2013 and through their approach which is built on dialogue and the strength of communities themselves to drive solutions to issues of inclusion have begun to generate effective discussions aimed at tackling exclusion in Swedish society. We love what they do and together we can work to get the message out across Sweden and begin to generate greater engagement between communities!

As a certified B-Corp, Ben & Jerry’s, and over 1,000 companies worldwide, aims to use business as a force for good for people and the planet. There is no quick fix to solve social inequality and injustice, but we know that what we can do as a company is:

• Promote ideas and actions that drive inclusion and harmony in communities
• Support and raise awareness for grassroots initiatives that promote better dialogue between communities, and support building a collective voice of communities to fight the increased influence of corporations.
• Ensure the most basic freedom - the right to vote - by advocating for better access to democracy for marginalised groups in society
• Share positive stories of community identity, we need to come together to share messages of peace and love.

We believe our future prosperity depends on how well we can integrate and harness the diversity of our world – from our brownie makers, to our Fairtrade farmers, and the communities we operate in. That’s why we’ll be asking you – and millions more across Europe – to join us in calling for the sweeter future we deserve! We’re going to concentrate our influence on local activations across Europe to really make a difference, working with grassroots community organisations, local partners and, of course, your lovely selves in an attempt to shine a light on social injustice and exclusion - from voter registration drives to volunteering initiatives. We’ll be sharing positive stories from across Europe here too, because together we can build a movement of positive change.

Without a registered vote, voices are ignored. If people are not included, policy makers will not seek to build policies to meet their needs. Research shows that when citizens do not see policies that meet their needs, or find themselves unrepresented by politicians, they feel disenfranchised and are even less likely to register to engage in democracy. We believe that ensuring everyone has access to the fundamental right to pledge their vote is crucial to reversing the long term trend of exclusion and inequality in Europe.