Ben & Jerry’s has accused its parent company Unilever of breaching its merger agreement by removing its CEO without board approval, citing the brand’s repeated public comments on progressive issues. The ice cream company claims that Unilever removed and replaced CEO David Stever due to his commitment to social mission and brand integrity.
The dispute began in 2021, with Ben & Jerry’s suing Unilever over attempts to silence its social media posts. In January, the company alleged that Unilever blocked a post referencing abortion, climate change, and universal healthcare because it mentioned President Donald Trump. Similar incidents have been reported recently, including censorship of a post about Palestinian refugee Mahmoud Khalil.
Ben & Jerry’s claims that Unilever is violating the terms of their merger agreement by removing Stever without following proper protocols. The company alleges that Unilever’s motive for removal was to silence Stever due to his commitment to social mission and brand integrity, rather than any genuine concerns about performance history.
The dispute is part of a larger trend of Ben & Jerry’s suing Unilever over attempts to silence its social media posts. In November 2024, the company filed an initial lawsuit alleging that Unilever threatened to dismantle its board and sue members due to planned statements calling for peace and a ceasefire.
Unilever has stated that it followed the terms of their merger agreement and will continue to make decisions on CEO appointments and removals through good faith consultation with Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board. However, Ben & Jerry’s claims that Unilever is violating its rights under the agreement.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/19/food/ben-and-jerrys-ceo-lawsuit/index.html