Ben & Jerry’s has initiated a legal battle against its parent company Unilever, claiming their rights to speak on Palestinian issues have been suppressed.
- Presented in a New York court, the lawsuit accuses Unilever of violating previous agreements regarding Ben & Jerry’s autonomy on social issues.
- The ice cream brand attempted multiple times to publicly support initiatives related to Palestinian refugees and ceasefires in the conflict.
- Unilever’s sale of its Israeli business following these tensions marked a significant dispute over regional sales.
- Ben & Jerry’s historical activism aligns with their stance, emphasising their commitment to peace and human rights.
Ben & Jerry’s, known for its outspoken advocacy on social issues, has filed a lawsuit against its parent company Unilever, asserting that attempts to voice support for Palestinian refugees were stifled. According to reports, the ice cream manufacturer alleges that Unilever blocked them from making public statements, purportedly infringing on an agreement made in 2022. This agreement stipulated that Unilever would respect Ben & Jerry’s board’s authority over its social mission.
The lawsuit, submitted in New York on 14 November 2024, reveals that Ben & Jerry’s tried on four occasions to publicly advocate for peace and human rights in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict. These attempts included calls for a ceasefire and an appeal to UK leaders for safe passage of Palestinian refugees. The brand also backed students protesting against civilian casualties in Gaza and sought to end US military aid to Israel.
This legal confrontation is not unprecedented; Ben & Jerry’s has previously clashed with Unilever regarding its position on political, climate, and human rights issues. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s expressed a desire to halt the sale of its products in Israeli-occupied territories, which led Unilever to divest its Israeli business to a local entity, allowing sales to continue under different branding. Following this, Ben & Jerry’s pursued legal action against Unilever, though the matter was resolved.
Ben & Jerry’s maintains that its mission includes supporting political actions for peace, as demonstrated by co-founder Ben Cohen’s arrest during a protest. This stance on activism comes to the forefront as the brand seeks legal recourse to uphold its right to voice on contentious issues, underscoring ongoing tensions between maintaining independent corporate ethics and overarching corporate governance.
The lawsuit between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever highlights the complexities of corporate governance when intersecting with social advocacy.
