The news of cutting ties with Israel sparked outrage – videos even emerged of the country’s ministers throwing tubs of the product in the bin. The conflict was sparked by Ben & Jerry’s response to a “Justice in Palestine” rally last year, which saw them pledge to stop selling their ice-cream within Israeil-occupied Palestinian territories – an occupation which the UN regards as “unlawful under international law.” In July earlier this year, amidst a year-long debate over ice-cream sales in Israel, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would be suing Unilever for jeopardizing their brand’s integrity. Photo Credit: The UpTake/ Flickr Unilever vs. In the Photo: Ben & Jerry’s Founder, Jerry Greenfield, joins Bernie Sanders supporters march at the University of Minnesota in 2016. Not only is the frozen-goods giant one of Unilever’s star buys – accounting for 2.6% of the entire ice-cream market and predicted to bring in $2.2bn this year alone – but it’s also one of their most rebellious. In a world where any show of support is at risk of accusations such as greenwashing, virtue-signaling and moral grandstanding, Ben & Jerry’s down-to-earth yet conscious approach has kept its voice heard and its brand relevant from its “humble beginnings” to now (they were topping ice cream with sprinkles and social justice before the world was even awake to the issues of our modern-day world).Ī true testament to their evergreen moral compass, Ben & Jerry’s’ ethical voice remains loud even after its $326mn acquisition in 2000 by the multinational food conglomerate, Unilever, and as far as parent-subsidiary relationships go, theirs is certainly unique. “We love making ice cream - but using our business to make the world a better place gives our work its meaning,” say Ben and Jerry. The product, economic and social priorities of their company are all nurtured equally, and the brand strives to use their position in society to advance human rights, giving a voice to political, social and economic issues, supporting marginalized and minority communities, and protecting the environment and planet. Activism is at the forefront of every level of Ben & Jerry’s business.
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