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4mo ago

Unilever Threatens to Halt Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Funding Over Audit Demand

The multinational company is pressuring the foundation to expedite an audit of its progressive donations while tensions over the ice cream maker’s social mission escalate.

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Unilever logo is pictured on a Dove soap box in this illustration taken on January 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Jerry Greenfield, left, and Ben Cohen, the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s. Cohen is trying to regain control of the ice cream brand after its 25-year tie-up with Unilever

Overview

  • Unilever is demanding an expedited audit of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation’s donations, focusing on grants to progressive and pro-Palestinian groups.
  • The company has threatened to withhold the foundation’s $5 million annual funding if the audit is not conducted promptly.
  • This funding dispute follows a November lawsuit by Ben & Jerry’s independent board, accusing Unilever of silencing its social activism.
  • Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, is exploring a buyback of the brand as Unilever prepares to spin off its ice cream division into a new standalone company, Magnum.
  • The conflict highlights a broader struggle over corporate governance and the role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles within major corporations.