Ice Cream Giants Clash Over Social Media and CEO Dismissal

Ben & Jerry's is in a tough spot. The ice cream brand is accusing its parent company, Unilever, of firing its CEO over social media activism. This isn't a new fight. It's been going on for a while, with both sides having different views on how the company should operate. The issue started when Ben & Jerry's tried to show support for Palestinian refugees and other causes on social media. Unilever wasn't happy with this and tried to stop it. Ben & Jerry's says this goes against their merger agreement, which gives them the freedom to support social causes. The company has always been outspoken about issues like racial justice, climate change, and campaign finance reform. Things got worse when Unilever fired Ben & Jerry's CEO, David Stever. The ice cream company says this was because Stever supported their social media activism. Unilever says the decision was made after a performance review and followed the correct process. But Ben & Jerry's disagrees. They say Unilever didn't follow the rules in the merger agreement and didn't consult with their advisory committee. Stever had been with the company for over three decades. Under his leadership, Ben & Jerry's did well, even outperforming Unilever's other ice cream brands. But Unilever executives weren't happy with his support for the company's social mission. They chastised him in his performance review for allowing certain social media posts. Unilever has a different view. They say the current dispute is because of Ben & Jerry's decision to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They also say they support Ben & Jerry's social advocacy work, but think it should be more balanced. The feud between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever has been going on for a few years. It started in 2021 when Ben & Jerry's decided to stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. This decision led to lawsuits, accusations, and financial losses for Unilever. In 2022, Unilever sold its intellectual property rights to its Israeli distributor, which put the products back on shelves in the West Bank. Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever again, saying it was bypassing their board with business decisions. Ben & Jerry's says Unilever has silenced their social media activism on multiple occasions. They say Unilever blocked posts about the Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian refugees, and even Black History Month. Unilever denies this, saying they have reasonable concerns about the posts. They also say they have supported Ben & Jerry's social advocacy work. The fight isn't over. Ben & Jerry's is asking the court to order Unilever to respect their independent board's authority and comply with the merger agreement's rules. They also want the court to ensure that any restructuring of the company doesn't eliminate or diminish the authority of their board. Unilever announced last year that it would separate its ice cream unit, including Ben & Jerry's, into a separate business.