NEW YORK: Unilever yesterday rejected the claim it tried to oust former Ben & Jerry’s chief executive Dave Stever for supporting his company’s progressive social activism, saying it offered him a bigger role and more pay but he chose to resign.
In a court filing, Unilever also sought the dismissal of Ben & Jerry’s lawsuit seeking to stop its alleged efforts to dismantle its board and end its activism, which has included protesting the war in Gaza and attempting to criticise US President Donald Trump.
Unilever called the lawsuit a vehicle for Ben & Jerry’s chair Anuradha Mittal to denigrate it, while the ice cream maker pursued a “staunchly pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli stance” that caused Unilever to lose investors and see its reputation tarred.