Unilever Defends 'Ethical' Brand From... Ethics
Unilever wants Ben & Jerry's chair, Anuradha Mittal, out, stating she's 'no longer suitable.' Her crime? Standing by the ice cream brand's 2021 decision to cease sales in 'Occupied Palestinian Territory,' a move Ben & Jerry's co-founders fully supported. This isn't newfound activism; Ben & Jerry's has a decades-long history of social justice advocacy, from environmentalism to racial equity, a
history Unilever acquired along with the ice cream. Perhaps Unilever—which reported €60.1 billion in turnover last year—forgot the 'joy' of corporate responsibility can sometimes involve displeasing powerful political lobbies. One might almost wonder if upholding human rights, even when politically inconvenient, is simply too 'unsuitable' for today's market. (After all, what’s a little ethical
consistency when there are profits to protect?)