Ben & Jerry’s board stoked controversy on Thursday after its unbiased board issued a press release labeling the battle in Gaza a “genocide” — inserting renewed pressure on its already tense relationship with mum or dad firm Unilever.
“We stand with all who raise their voices against genocide in Gaza—from petition-signers to street marchers to those risking arrest,” the left-leaning ice cream maker’s board mentioned in a press release that was first reported by The Wall Avenue Journal.
“When humanity is at stake, silence is not an option, now is the time to speak truth to power.”
The assertion marks some of the forceful company condemnations of Israel’s conduct in Gaza because the battle started, and will additional deepen the divide between Ben & Jerry’s progressive board and the extra cautious multinational that owns it.
Ben & Jerry’s has lengthy used its model to champion progressive causes. In 2021, it stopped promoting ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories, citing inconsistency with its values — a transfer that triggered backlash, shareholder divestment and authorized disputes with mum or dad firm Unilever.
Although the matter was settled in 2022, a brand new lawsuit alleges Unilever has once more tried to silence the model’s help for Palestinian rights.
Unilever on Thursday rapidly moved to distance itself from the board’s remarks.
“The members of Ben & Jerry’s social mission board do not speak for anyone other than themselves,” a Unilever spokesperson informed the Journal on Thursday.
“We call for peace in the region and for relief for all those whose lives have been impacted.”
The response is the newest indication of a longstanding and fraught dynamic between the Vermont-based model and its London-based proprietor.
Final month, Unilever mentioned it had no intention of promoting Ben & Jerry’s — regardless of a bid by the founders of the favored ice cream model to purchase again the corporate.
Unilever additionally not too long ago threatened to chop its $5 million annual funding to the Ben & Jerry’s Basis until it agrees to a fast-tracked audit of its donations, escalating tensions over the model’s progressive activism.
In March, Ben & Jerry’s accused its company proprietor of ousting the ice cream maker’s chief govt over the model’s anti-Trump political activism.
When Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, the deal included a novel association: the corporate’s unbiased board retained authority over the model’s social mission and advertising.
That uncommon construction has led to quite a few public clashes lately, significantly over the Israel-Palestinian dispute.
In authorized filings, Unilever has criticized the board’s “decision to continue to embroil B&J’s and Unilever in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one of the most divisive and polarizing topics of our time.”
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen made headlines earlier this month when he and different activists disrupted a Senate well being committee listening to.
As he was eliminated by safety, Cohen shouted: “Congress is paying to bomb poor kids in Gaza and paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US.”
The newest assertion comes amid renewed scrutiny of Unilever’s ice cream division.
The corporate not too long ago introduced plans to spin off its ice cream enterprise solely in an effort to streamline operations and specializing in higher-growth areas.
Analysts have famous that Ben & Jerry’s activism — and the backlash it ceaselessly generates — has added issues for the broader Unilever model.
Tensions between the 2 entities reached a boiling level in 2021 when Ben & Jerry’s introduced it will cease promoting its merchandise in Jewish settlements within the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem — citing inconsistency with its values.
That call prompted authorized and monetary penalties for Unilever, which was accused of violating anti-boycott legal guidelines in a number of jurisdictions.
The backlash led to lawsuits, sanctions and the withdrawal of lots of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in Unilever inventory, based on a March authorized submitting by the corporate.
In response, Unilever bought its Ben & Jerry’s enterprise in Israel to an area distributor — an effort to make sure continued gross sales throughout Israel and the West Financial institution.
Ben & Jerry’s then sued its mum or dad firm, alleging that the sale breached the phrases of the acquisition settlement and undermined the board’s management over social affect choices.
The Put up has sought remark from Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever.
