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Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has resigned amid a political clash with the popular ice cream brand's parent company, Unilever.
Greenfield announced his decision in a statement shared by his co-founder and the brand's fellow namesake Ben Cohen on his X account Wednesday (September 17).
Greenfield said the company lost its independence once Unilever, which purchased the ice cream brand in 2000, curtailed its founders' stances on social activism, which includes criticism of President Donald Trump's administration and the war in Gaza.
"It's with a broken heart that I've decided I can no longer, in good conscience, and after 47 years, remain an employee of Ben & Jerry's," Greenfeild said. "I am resigning from the company Ben and I started back in 1978. This is one of the hardest and most painful decisions I've ever made.
"This isn't because I've lost love for the people at Ben & Jerry's. Quite the opposite. The folks who show up every day in our factories, scoop shops, and offices are some of the most passionate, caring, and values-driven people you'll ever meet. They are the soul of Ben & Jerry's.
"What has made their work so important to me, and what allowed the company to be more than just an ice cream company, was the independence to pursue our values, which was guaranteed when Unilever bought the company. For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry's stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice, and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world. That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company's governance structure in perpetuity. It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever is gone.
"And it's happening at a time when our country's current administration is attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community. Standing up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important, and yet Ben & Jerry's has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. It's easy to stand up and speak out when there's nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose.
"Love, equity, justice. They're part of who Ben and I are, and they;'ve always been true foundation of Ben & Jerry's. From the very beginning, Ben and I believed that our values and the pursuit of justice were more important than the company itself. If the company couldn't stand up for the things we believed, then it wasn't worth being a company at all.
"It was always about more than just ice cream; it was a way to spread love and invite others into the fight for equity, justice and a better world. Coming to the conclusion that this is no longer possible at Ben & Jerry's means I can no longer remain part of Ben & Jerry's. If I can't carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward, with all the love and conviction I can."
Greenfield and Cohen announced they would cease sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and sued Ben & Jerry's parent company over alleged efforts to describe what they called "genocide" in Gaza, a rare stance for a company of its magnitude. Last week, Cohen said the ice cream brand attempted to engineer a sale to investors at a market value estimated to be between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion amid tensions with Unilever, however, the proposal was rejected.
Israel announced its launched "expanded ground operations" in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza City on Tuesday (September 16), while a United Nations committee has formally accused it of committing genocide, NBC News reports. The Israeli military said troops "have begun expanded ground operations in Gaza City" which is part of what it's calling Operation Gideon's Chariots II.
"The troops’ activity began according to the operational plan and is expected to expand in line with the current situational assessment," the military said via NBC News.
More than 850 "terror targets" and "hundreds of terrorists" in Gaza City were reportedly struck by the Israeli Air Force during the past week, according to a statement shared by the Israeli Defense Force. The IDF said its troops were operating in the security zone along the western border and would continue operating near the northern part of the Gaza enclave.
A United Nations commission comprised of a team of independent experts formally accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and called on the international community to end the campaign.
“The international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza. When clear signs and evidence of genocide emerge, the absence of action to stop it amounts to complicity,” said Navi Pillay, chair of the commission, via NBC News. “Every day of inaction costs lives and erodes the credibility of the international community."
Israel, which launched its war with Hamas following the terror attacks on a music festival in October 2023, rejected the accusations as "distorted and false." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel now only has "a very short window" to reach a cease-fire deal with Hamas following the launching of expanded ground operations.