Ben & Jerry’s has accused its parent company, Unilever, of ousting the ice cream maker’s CEO over his support for progressive social activism. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in New York, claims that Unilever breached a merger agreement between the two companies and moved to dismiss David Stever as CEO without proper consultation.
Stever had championed progressive causes under the oversight of an independent board, which was established during the merger for the purpose of pursuing Ben & Jerry’s social mission. However, in May 2023, Unilever reportedly threatened to silence Stever over his advocacy, and he was subsequently ousted.
Ben & Jerry’s claims that Unilever has repeatedly interfered with its advocacy efforts, including attempts to silence its support for Palestinians and Black Lives Matter movement. The company has filed multiple lawsuits against Unilever in recent months, alleging attempts to suppress its progressive values.
In a statement, Anuradha Mittal, chair of Ben & Jerry’s board, said that the unique governance structure established during the merger was under direct attack by Unilever. “We believe he is uniquely qualified to lead Ben & Jerry’s at this pivotal time,” she added.
The legal feud comes as Unilever has been trying to spin off Ben & Jerry’s and its other ice cream brands, with plans to do so by the end of 2025. The company’s founders are reportedly in talks to reacquire the brand from Unilever.
Source: https://vtdigger.org/2025/03/19/ben-jerrys-claims-parent-company-fired-ceo-over-brands-progressive-activism