Ben & Jerry's has accused its parent company, Unilever, of terminating CEO David Stever for refusing to dilute the brand's progressive mission. In a court filing, the ice cream company noted that Stever had been with them for decades and had successfully led the brand while maintaining strong sales. An independent board member criticized Unilever's attempts to limit political statements and highlighted an ongoing legal struggle relating to the brand's support for social issues, including public statements about the Israel-Palestine conflict and political figures like Donald Trump. This situation highlights growing tensions between corporate management and brand ideals.
Anuradha Mittal, the chair of Ben & Jerry's independent board, stated that Dave has courageously advanced the company's social mission and has delivered strong financial results, outpacing Unilever's other ice-cream businesses.
The US-based brand's court filing suggested that Unilever wanted Stever to oversee the dismantling of Ben & Jerry's progressive values, which he refused to do.
The legal battle underscores the tensions between Ben & Jerry's commitment to social activism and Unilever's corporate strategies, especially regarding public statements on contentious issues.
Ben & Jerry's accused Unilever of interfering in its political stance, including demands to stop public criticism of Donald Trump and support for Palestinian refugees.
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