Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Steps Down Amid Corporate Advocacy Controversy
Ben & Jerry's's founding member Jerry Greenfield has exited the firm after almost 50 years, intensifying an existing conflict with parent company Unilever.
In a letter shared on social media by co-creator Ben Cohen, Mr Greenfield stated that the enterprise had lost its independence after Unilever halted its advocacy efforts.
The exit marks the most recent chapter in a controversy that began in recent years when the brand announced it would stop selling in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
A spokesperson for The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which is being separated from Unilever, expressed thanks to Greenfield but diverged with his position.
A Painful Decision
Through his letter, Greenfield described departing from the company as "among the toughest and difficult decisions" he had ever made, adding that he could no longer ethically work for a organization that had been "silenced" by Unilever.
This was even with an agreement that protected the brand's ethical values when it merged with the global corporation decades prior.
Company's Reaction
An official for The Magnum Ice Cream Company mentioned that the company had been in dialogue with the two co-founders before Greenfield's decision to leave.
"We disagree with his perspective and have sought to engage the two founders in a productive conversation on how to strengthen Ben & Jerry's's powerful values-based position in the world," they said.
Long-Standing Advocacy
The company has long been recognized for advocating publicly on social issues since its founding in 1978, often backing movements on issues like LGBTQ+ rights and climate change.
Earlier this year, the company claimed that its CEO, David Stever, was being removed by Unilever.
This claim was included in a lawsuit submitted in a US court by Ben & Jerry's that accused Unilever of violating a contract by trying to silence its "social mission".
It came after claims that Unilever had demanded the firm to cease criticizing US President Donald Trump.
A representative stated that the company was "disappointed that the privacy of an internal discussion has been disclosed".
Recent Events
Earlier this year, Mr Cohen was arrested during a demonstration in the American Senate over military aid to Israel and crisis situation in the Gaza Strip.
Protesters interrupted the session while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was testifying.
Mr Cohen was accused with a minor violation, while several other demonstrators were also arrested and are confronting more serious charges, authorities reported.
