Ben & Jerry's: A case study in Catholic Social Teaching?

For more than a century, Popes have spoken to the issue of proper treatment of employees. Through several encyclicals, they have collectively constructed a framework that offers specific guidance for the management of human resources. Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. is a successful producer of super-premium ice cream. Although it in no way professes to practice Catholic Social Teaching in its management, the parallels between its approach and the Catholic model are striking. This article explores those parallels to contemplate to what extent an organization can realistically implement Catholic Social Teaching in a competitive environment.