Ben & Jerry's CEO Ousted Amid Political Dispute with Unilever
So, let’s talk about the latest controversy surrounding Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever. It turns out that Ben & Jerry’s is accusing Unilever of forcing out its CEO, David Stever, all because of the ice cream brand’s political activism. And if you know anything about Ben & Jerry’s, you know they’ve always been vocal about social issues. From LGBTQ+ rights to climate change, they’ve never shied away from making bold statements.
According to a legal filing in a U.S. court, Ben & Jerry’s claims Unilever is violating the merger agreement they signed back in 2000 when Unilever bought the company. The agreement supposedly allows Ben & Jerry’s to maintain an independent board that protects its mission and values. But now, the ice cream brand is saying that Unilever is trying to silence its activism, going as far as threatening its executives, including Stever.
Also Read:- Nearly 100 Santander UK Branches to Close, Putting 750 Jobs at Risk
- JK Rowling’s Latest Social Media Jab at Harry Potter Stars Sparks Controversy
This isn’t just a sudden dispute—it’s been brewing for a while. Things really started heating up in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop selling ice cream in the West Bank. Then, last year, they took another stand by advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, which further strained their relationship with Unilever. And more recently, in November, they even filed a lawsuit claiming Unilever was trying to prevent them from supporting Palestinian refugees. If that wasn’t enough, just last month, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of trying to stop them from publicly criticizing former U.S. President Donald Trump.
David Stever has been with Ben & Jerry’s for a long time—since 1988, in fact, when he started as a tour guide. He worked his way up and became CEO in 2023. But now, Ben & Jerry’s says that his removal was done without proper consultation, which, according to their merger agreement, should have happened. They’re claiming that Unilever wanted their independent board to simply approve the decision without discussion.
Unilever, on the other hand, has responded by saying they’re disappointed that details of what they call an “employee career conversation” have been made public. They argue that they’ve tried multiple times to engage with Ben & Jerry’s board and follow the correct process for executive decisions. Their official statement says that, under the merger agreement, they do have the final say on appointing and removing Ben & Jerry’s CEO, but they need to consult with the independent board in good faith.
It’s clear that the tension between these two isn’t going away anytime soon. Ben & Jerry’s has built its identity on standing up for social justice, and Unilever seems to be trying to rein that in. Whether this legal battle will change anything remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—this is a high-stakes clash between corporate control and brand activism. Let’s see how it all unfolds.
Read More:
0 Comments