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Ben & Jerry’s is facing a potential shift away from its well-known progressive stance as tensions escalate with parent company Unilever over the removal of CEO Dave Stever.

The Vermont-based ice cream manufacturer has filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that Stever’s dismissal came after he refused to abandon the company’s long-standing commitment to social activism.

According to court documents, Unilever, which owns numerous consumer brands including Dove and Marmite, attempted to restrict Ben & Jerry’s leadership from expressing political viewpoints, particularly those critical of former President Donald Trump.

Board Chair Anuradha Mittal stated in the filing: “Dave has courageously advanced the company’s social mission and values, has continued to drive innovation in its super premium product range, and has delivered strong financial results, far outpacing the rest of Unilever’s ice-cream business.”

“What Dave hasn’t done is what Unilever would like him to do, which is to oversee the dismantling of Ben & Jerry’s mission, progressive values. That is why the independent board has sued Unilever and why Unilever is seeking to punish the chief executive.”

The dispute intensified when Unilever allegedly made threats against company personnel, including Stever, regarding their continued advocacy for social causes. The situation culminated on March 3, 2025, when Unilever announced Stever’s removal from his position.

Since its humble beginnings as a small ice cream shop in Vermont in 1978, founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the company has become equally recognized for its social activism as its desserts. When Unilever purchased the company in 2000, an independent board was established to maintain these progressive principles.

In recent years, the ice cream maker has taken strong stances on various social issues, including supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, advocating for police defunding, withdrawing from Israeli settlements, supporting immigration reform, and pushing for aggressive climate change action.

The company maintains that incorporating social justice initiatives into its business operations is fundamental to its mission of addressing community inequities, regularly speaking out on issues ranging from racial equality to gender rights.