Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Resigns Amid Corporate Advocacy Controversy
Ben & Jerry's's founding member Jerry Greenfield has exited the firm after nearly 50 years, deepening an existing conflict with corporate owner Unilever.
Through a message shared on social media by co-creator Ben Cohen, Greenfield claimed that the enterprise no longer possessed its independence after Unilever halted its social activism.
The exit marks the latest chapter in a dispute that began in 2021 when the brand declared it would cease sales in Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories and East Jerusalem.
An official representative for The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is being spun off from Unilever, stated thanks to Greenfield but disagreed with his viewpoint.
A Painful Choice
In his message, Mr Greenfield characterized leaving the company as "one of the hardest and most painful choices" he had ever made, adding that he could no longer in good conscience be part of a organization that had been "silenced" by Unilever.
This was despite an agreement that safeguarded the company's ethical values when it merged with the global corporation decades prior.
Corporate Response
An official for the ice cream firm stated that the company had been in discussions with the two founders before Mr Greenfield's choice to depart.
"We differ with his perspective and have attempted to involve the two co-founders in a productive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's's strong principle-driven standing in the world," they said.
History of Activism
The company has long been known for taking a public stance on progressive causes since its founding in the late 70s, often supporting movements on topics like equality rights and environmental sustainability.
In recent months, Ben & Jerry's claimed that its CEO, David Stever, was being removed by Unilever.
The allegation was included in a legal case filed in a US court by the brand that accused Unilever of violating a merger agreement by attempting to suppress its "ethical advocacy".
It came after accusations that Unilever had instructed the company to stop publicly criticising US President Donald Trump.
A representative stated that the company was "disappointed that the privacy of an internal discussion has been made public".
Recent Developments
In May, Ben Cohen was arrested during a protest in the US Senate over foreign assistance to the state of Israel and humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.
Protesters disrupted the session while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr was speaking.
Mr Cohen was accused with a minor violation, while a number of other demonstrators were also taken into custody and face additional charges, authorities reported.
