Ben & Jerry’s says that the CEO was dismissed by the parent company for the social mission
Ben & Jerry’s said that the parent company Unilever has dismissed its CEO for its commitment to the brand’s social mission, not its performance at work.
As a relationship between Ben & Jerry’s and his parent company Unilever Continue to grow tenderThe ice manufacturer alleged that his CEO had been removed by Unilever on the company’s political positions.
In a Tuesday deposit before a New York Federal Court, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of having violated a merger agreement by continuously “silencing” the “social mission” of Ben & Jerry.
The ice manufacturer says that Unilever has threatened his CEO, David Stever, as well as other employees of Ben & Jerry, for their support for the Palestinian refugees.
“Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry staff, including CEO David Stever, if they do not comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the social mission,” said the file.
In the file, Ben & Jerry’s said that an independent council had been created in 2000 following the sale of the company in Unilever, and that its main role is to “devote railings by preventing any dilution of the social mission and the integrity of the company’s brand”.
On Ben & Jerry websiteThe ice manufacturer identifies its social mission as a “progressive and non -partisan”.
A spokesperson for Unilever, who refused to be appointed, blamed the independent council on Wednesday for making public information public.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated attempts to hire the board of directors and follow the correct process, we are disappointed that the confidentiality of a professional conversation of employees was made public,” the spokesman told USA Today. “We hope that the B & J Independent Board will commit according to the original agreement process.”
Here’s what you need to know.
Unilever would have deleted Ben & Jerry’s support for social problems
In Tuesday’s file, Ben & Jerry’s said that Unilever had recently reached new levels of “abolition of Ben & Jerry’s social mission”.
The ice manufacturer said that Unilever had blocked “without explanation” that Ben & Jerry’s to make a position expressing his support to Graduated from Columbia Mahmoud Khalila Palestinian refugee who said he is detained inasmuch as “Political prisoner” For having condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
In the file obtained by USA Today, Ben & Jerry’s included the blocked post:
“Protect the first amendment! Freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations are the vital element of our democracy, and militant students have always been at the center of the fight for justice,” said the post. “Political discourse is protected by our constitution and our peaceful civil disobedience should never be the basis of expulsion. Protect your right of dissent and act with @aclu.”
Ben & Jerry’s said that he also planned to include a link to an aclu petition in support of Khalil.
The company also allegedly allegedly blocked a position planned to celebrate the month of black history in February.
In another deposit in FEBRUARYBen & Jerry’s alleged deletion of their social opinions. The company said that the chief of the ice cream Unilever, Peter Ter Kulve, unilaterally forbidden him to “publish messages criticizing President Trump” while waiting for a more in -depth exam.
Ter Kulve had previously prohibited a position provided on hot button issues when Trump was inaugurated on January 20 because the position mentioned the new president, Ben & Jerry’s in the file.
Unilever threatened Ben & Jerry’s with dismantling of independent council
In the initial trial submitted in November, Ben & Jerry allegedly allegedly threatened to dismantle the independent council created in 2000.
The ice manufacturer allegedly allegedly threatened the company after trying to support the Palestinian refugees.
“Unilever has threatened to dismantle the independent council and continue the members of the board of directors individually if Ben & Jerry’s- with its motto for decades of” peace, Love & Ice Cream “- published the declaration supporting the peace ” and a” ceases “,” said the file.
Regarding Stever, Ben & Jerry alleged that the reasoning for his proposed dismissal by Unilever is purely due to his “commitment to the social mission of Ben & Jerry”, rather than “any real concern concerning its performance history”.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a news journalist for USA Today. Reach it to fernando.certant@gannett.com and follow it on x @Fern_Cerv_.