Ben & Jerry’s has accused Unilever, its parent company, of firing its CEO due to his support for the ice cream maker’s political activism, according to a federal court complaint filed in Manhattan. The filing claims Unilever dismissed David Stever because of his commitment to the company’s social mission rather than his job performance. Mr. Stever had been in the role since 2023.
The complaint states that Unilever informed the Ben & Jerry’s board on March 3 of its intention to remove and replace Mr. Stever as CEO without the approval of an advisory board, violating an agreement signed during the companies’ 2000 merger. Under Mr. Stever’s leadership, Ben & Jerry’s reportedly outperformed Unilever’s ice cream portfolio, with sales growing faster than Magnum, another major Unilever ice cream brand.
The lawsuit, initially filed in November, accuses Unilever of censorship and threats over Ben & Jerry’s efforts to express support for Palestinian refugees. Unilever has not immediately responded to the claims but previously stated it would defend itself against the accusations.
— news from The New York Times
