### Ben & Jerry's Sues Parent Company Unilever Over Alleged Censorship and Board Interference

Ben & Jerry's has filed a lawsuit against its parent company, Unilever, claiming that the multinational conglomerate has been silencing its support of Palestinians amidst the Gaza conflict. The lawsuit, submitted on Wednesday in a New York federal court, accuses Unilever of breaking contractual commitments by undermining the independence of Ben & Jerry's board.

According to the complaint, Unilever has employed tactics such as threatening to dismantle the company’s independent board, suing board members, intimidating staff, and censoring the company from publicly expressing its social stances. "Unilever has repeatedly failed to recognize and respect the Independent Board's primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry's Social Mission and Brand Integrity," the ice cream maker asserts in its complaint.

Unilever, headquartered in London, refuted the allegations. "We will defend our case very strongly," said the company in a statement released in response to the lawsuit.

The dispute stems in part from Ben & Jerry's decision in 2021 to stop sales in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, a decision Unilever distanced itself from. Since acquiring Ben & Jerry's in 2000, Unilever had agreed that the ice cream maker's independent board would oversee its social mission, which includes various liberal causes such as racial justice and climate action. Financial and operational decisions, however, were to remain under Unilever's control.

In July 2022, Unilever announced plans to sell its interest in Ben & Jerry's to the company's Israeli licensee, permitting sales with Hebrew and Arabic labels in disputed territories. Although Ben & Jerry's challenged this plan in court, it did not succeed.

Negotiations between the two companies eventually led to a settlement requiring Unilever to respect the board’s oversight of Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity. Despite the settlement, Ben & Jerry's claims that Unilever has suppressed several attempts by the ice cream maker to voice its stance on the Gaza conflict, support for U.S. college students protesting the war, and calls for ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

Earlier this year, Unilever announced plans to cut 7,500 jobs and spin off its ice cream business in a bid to reduce costs and enhance profitability. Ben & Jerry's litigation aims to protect its autonomy and mission from what it sees as Unilever's continual overreach.