Ben & Jerry's claims Unilever fired the subsidiary's CEO over progressive politics

Ben & Jerry’s is accusing parent company Unilever of firing the subsidiary's CEO for unjust reasons. The ice cream manufacturer claims that he was dismissed due to a difference in opinion about the company’s long-time social mission.

Ben & Jerry’s has filed a lawsuit against Unilever in an American court alleging Unilever informed the independent council a few weeks ago that David Stever was set to be replaced. This was done without any consultation with the independent council, which was stated as a requirement when the two companies merged.

The head of the ice cream brand did not use his role in the company to prevent the brand from taking a stand on political issues. "Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry's personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever's efforts to silence the social mission," the lawsuit stated, according to the BBC.

The ice cream manufacturing company that was founded in 1978 is known for its unique flavorsm but also for progressive social ideals that resonates with the brand.

Unilever bought Ben & Jerry’s in 2000. At the time, it was agreed that an independent council would remain in place to protect the brand’s social values. However, Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever have had numerous conflicts about these issues since that time.

In 2022, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever for blocking the company’s efforts to stop ice cream sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The ice cream brand also claims that Unilever has thwarted efforts to support Palestinian refugees.

Another disagreement came last month when Ben & Jerry's stated that Unilever banned them from publicly criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump.