Ben & Jerry’s accuses Unilever of unlawfully removing CEO over political activism

Ben & Jerry’s has accused its parent company, Unilever, of trying to quell its social mission by unlawfully removing its CEO, David Stever, due to the ice cream giant’s repeated public statements on progressive issues, which it says contravenes agreement terms between the two parties.

The allegation is part of an amended legal complaint filed in New York this week. Lawyers for the ice cream maker said that rules from its 2000 merger “protects Ben & Jerry’s by precluding the unilateral removal of its CEO.”

However, US-based Ben & Jerry’s argues that Unilever breached this agreement by “removing and replacing” Stever, not following proper protocols, and not getting its board’s approval. Stever was removed due to his “commitment to Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity…rather than any genuine concerns regarding his performance history,” according to reports.

Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of taking a public stance on social issues, including Black Lives Matter, LGBTQI+ rights, and climate change, since it was founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Unilever bought the brand in 2000 through a merger agreement that allowed Ben & Jerry’s to remain independent so its values and mission could be protected.

Bitter dispute 

The lawsuit amendment is the latest development in a bitter dispute between the brand and its owner. It started in 2021 when the ice cream company announced it would stop selling its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In November, Ben & Jerry’s launched legal action against Unilever, accusing its parent company of trying to stop it from making public statements supporting Palestine. Last month, Ben & Jerry’s also accused its owner of demanding it stop publicly criticizing US President Donald Trump.

It’s been a testing time for Unilever, which recently replaced its CEO Hein Schumacher in a surprise move. He had only spent 18 months in the role. Unilever replaced him with chief financial officer Fernando Fernandez.

Both Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s have been contacted for comment but have not responded at the time of publication.