• Unilever unjustly ousted Ben & Jerry’s CEO Dave Stever for his activism against the Gaza genocide, while allowing pro-LGBTQ activism without issue.
• Unilever’s selective concern arose only when Stever halted sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and called for a ceasefire.
Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s has unjustly ousted the ice cream brand’s CEO, Dave Stever, due to the company’s ‘political activism.’
In a filing to Manhattan federal court on Tuesday night, Ben & Jerry’s revealed that Unilever announced on March 3 its decision to “remove and replace” Stever without the board’s required approval. The company further claimed that Unilever had repeatedly threatened staff who refused to comply with its “efforts to silence the social mission.”
However, the company has consistently expressed its stance on LGBTQ+ and climate change without facing any resistance.
Interestingly, Unilever’s concern over Stever’s political and social activism appears selective—arising only when it pertains to Palestine.
In a gross miscarriage of justice, Stever’s dismissal was not due to his professional performance, but rather his outspoken support for Gaza.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s halted sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, sparking backlash from Unilever. Tensions grew when Ben & Jerry’s took a stand by calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a statement, Unilever said the 2000 agreement governed removal decisions, and it was “disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public.”
More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in Israeli airstrikes since Tuesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the latest onslaught on innocent Palestinian civilians is “only the beginning”.
