_gif.gif)
Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has announced the appointment of three new Independent Directors (Class I Directors) to its Board of Directors: Nora Benavidez, Michael McAfee, and Eva Schulte.
The appointments reinforce the enterprise's corporate governance model, designed to protect its Social, Product, and Economic missions while advancing its philosophy of Linked Prosperity across its global operating footprint.
Ben & Jerry's maintains an independent board structure established to safeguard the brand's social mission and values-led sourcing programmes. The Class I Directors operate independently to oversee the brand's social integrity while providing strategic guidance to Chief Executive Officer Jochanan Senf and executive leadership teams.
The selection process was conducted in partnership with a B Corp-certified executive search firm, evaluating candidates on corporate governance experience, leadership alignment, and civil rights, economic justice, and environmental advocacy backgrounds.
Jochanan Senf, Chief Executive Officer of Ben & Jerry's, stated that the new directors bring deep operational and advocacy experience to help safeguard and strengthen the company's social mission while supporting commercial growth.
Backgrounds of Incoming Independent Directors
The three incoming Class I Directors bring extensive leadership backgrounds across civil rights, economic development, and environmental protection:
⚖️ Nora Benavidez: Senior Counsel and Director of Digital Justice & Civil Rights at Free Press. A First Amendment attorney and legal strategist, Benavidez brings over a decade of experience advocating before the US Congress, Federal Trade Commission, and international regulatory bodies on digital rights, free expression, and civil liberties.
📈 Michael McAfee: Chief Executive Officer of PolicyLink. McAfee has led national initiatives focused on racial and corporate economic equity, managing a $450 million federal housing and economic development portfolio during his tenure at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
🌿 Eva Schulte: Executive Director of Friends of the San Juans. Bringing over two decades of social and environmental sector leadership, Schulte has directed environmental protection, impact investing, and habitat restoration initiatives, currently serving on the executive committee of the Sierra Club Foundation.
Social Mission Framework
The board appointments support Ben & Jerry's long-term operational commitments across its supply chain and advocacy initiatives. These include its Caring Dairy programme focused on sustainable dairy farming, its Razz Up! advocacy campaigns, and the European Up Collective initiative supporting refugee integration and economic rights.
The integration of the new Class I Directors reinforces the company's values-led business model, connecting commercial expansion directly with community and environmental impact across global markets.
.jpeg)
.jpeg)