USA | Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, has announced his resignation after 47 years with the iconic ice cream brand.
In an emotional statement, Greenfield said he could no longer remain with the company in “good conscience.” He said this decision was one of the hardest of his life.
While his love for the people behind the brand remains, the company’s ability to stand up for justice, equity, and human rights has been “silenced” under its current structure.
“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,” he said.
“For more than twenty 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 independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.”
He added that standing up for the values of justice, equity, and 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,” he said.
“If I can’t carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can.”
