Award-winning Documentary Film Co-Produced by Gabelli School Professor Michael Pirson, Ph.D., Focuses on a Humanistic Approach to Management
Faculty | Feb 03, 2025 | Gabelli School of Business
“Zen Brownie” narrated by Academy Award-Winning Actor Jeff Bridges, generates wide-spread impact with a fully accessible version now available on YouTube
“Reality proves Possibility” – a documentary series produced by Gabelli School professor Michael Pirson and Emmy award winning filmmaker Alison Bartlett highlights the stories of businesses that truly serve humanity. The series is providing grounded reasons for hope that humanity can do better than the current doom and gloom narrative. With a humanistic approach to management many current problems have already been successfully addressed across the globe, yet very few people seem to know about it.
The inspiring and through-provoking documentary, “Zen Brownie” released in 2023, tells the story of Yonkers, NY-based Greyston Bakery, a business that was built upon a deep commitment to ideals and policies that unlock human potential, placing the value of humanity firmly at the center of its strategy. Bernie Glassman, an aeronautical engineer who became a world-renowned pioneer in the Amercan Zen Movement, founded the business in 1982, building a successful enterprise while creating meaningful job opportunities for those experiencing barriers to employment. Through its unique and inclusive Open Hiring® policy, Greyston welcomes job applicants from all walks of life, who are struggling economically. It provides the opportunity for them to earn a living wage without the complications of being scrutinized during the hiring process. Once hired, employees receive ongoing training and development to enrich their work experience and their lives.
Michael Pirson, Ph.D., professor and James A. F. Stoner Endowed Chair in Global Sustainability at the Gabelli School of Business who co-produced “Zen Brownie,” which was awarded a Special Mention from the 2023 Impact DOCS Awards Competition, explains that Greystone’s dignity based hiring process implements what social psychologist all know… “trust that you place in other people, typically gets trust back.” This management model serves as a profound and living illustration of the ways in which kindness, compassion, and inclusivity can be a foundational part of a thriving business. It exemplifies how humanistic management principles can be implemented in the food industry and beyond.
While Greyston Bakery steadily built its customer base during the early years, in 1987, it received a major boost when it forged a partnership with Ben & Jerry’s to supply brownies for its legendary Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream. “The film shows how a small, successful bakery has demonstrated the transformational potential of an optimistic, human-centered approach to business. Through its partnership with Ben & Jerry’s and the many lives and livelihoods Greyston has transformed, this story which we have captured will continue to have an impact for years to come,” Pirson noted.
The film has won several accolades at film festivals across the globe. You can watch the full version of ZEN BROWNIE here on YouTube.
In addition to his success with “Zen Brownie,” Professor Pirson, has recently completed a documentary on SEKEM, an Egyptian company that for more than 40 years has transformed deserts into oases and has created several world-leading companies in the process. Ben Stiller, the A-list actor, has supported this film with narration. Further films are in the works. Pirson, also is founder and director of the Gabelli School’s Center for Humanistic Management, a research center with active outreach to practice and policy, and a commitment to developing novel pedagogical approaches with a focus on social innovation. The Center’s research was recently featured in a series of videos, produced by Professor Pirson and Kimberley LaMarque Orman, associate clinical professor of communications and media management. These videos focus on empowering students and members of the global business community, and beyond with an optimistic, human-centered approach to business—one that is informed by an understanding of the principles of humanistic management.
Through projects such as “Zen Brownie” and the Humanistic Management & Communication video series, and his deep commitment to spreading the word about humanistic management, Professor Pirson brings to life the metamorphic changes that can occur if we truly believe in the value of each and every individual, and provide them with the chance to flourish and grow.
Written by Michelle Livingston and Paola Curcio-Kleinman
