"Unilever urges dismissal of Ben & Jerry's Gaza censorship lawsuit", 28 April 2025

Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, is calling for the dismissal of a lawsuit in which it is accused of sacking chief executive David Stever partly due to his views on Gaza and Palestine.

The independent board of Ben & Jerry's updated a lawsuit last month, alleging Unilever had removed Mr Stever in part because of his social advocacy for various causes, including the Israel-Gaza war and Palestinian rights.

The company says a contractual agreement with Ben & Jerry's does not guarantee “the unfettered right to advocate on any topic it wants on behalf of Ben & Jerry's … embroil B & J and Unilever in highly controversial and divisive topics that put the businesses and their employees at risk”.

...Unilever was also accused of censoring Ben & Jerry's social media posts showing support for Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil, who faces deportation because of his involvement in pro-Palestine protests last year.

...The independent board of Ben & Jerry's has until Friday to file a brief countering Unilever's motion to suspend the lawsuit.