Removed Ben & Jerry’s chair says Magnum aimed to ‘smear’ her | EUROtoday

The ousted chair of Ben & Jerry’s has accused the corporate which owns the model of threatening to launch a public smear marketing campaign towards her.

Anuradha Mittal, who chaired Ben & Jerry’s impartial board for seven years, advised the BBC that Magnum had threatened to publish “defamatory statements” about her if she didn’t step down from her function.

It pertains to an more and more bitter dispute between the Vermont-based activist ice cream maker and its proprietor over the independence of the board and its freedom to pursue its social missions.

Magnum mentioned in its view Mittal “no longer met the criteria to serve” on the board, following an investigation it had commissioned by exterior advisors.

In an announcement on Monday, Magnum outlined modifications to the best way the board operates together with a nine-year restrict for individuals serving on it.

As properly as Mittal, who mentioned she had acquired a letter telling her she had been faraway from the board, two different board members will likely be required to go away in consequence.

It additionally mentioned that an audit of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, a charitable organisation, had “identified a series of material deficiencies in financial controls, governance and other compliance policies, including conflicts of interest”.

Speaking to the BBC’s World Business Report, Mittal mentioned there had been an escalation of the friction between Ben & Jerry’s board and its proprietor, over the model’s independence, social mission and integrity.

“For several years now, we have been resisting their overreach, including their efforts to muzzle us from speaking out for human rights, for peace,” she mentioned.

The model, which can also be recognized for the playful puns in its flavour names, was owned by Unilever till earlier this month, when the family items large spun off its ice cream unit to create, Magnum Ice Cream Company.

Ben & Jerry’s was bought to Unilever in 2000 in a deal which allowed it to retain an impartial board and the appropriate to make choices about its social mission.

This was a frequent supply of friction whereas owned by Unilever.

In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s refused to promote its merchandise in areas occupied by Israel, leading to its Israeli operation being bought by Unilever to an area licensee, and in October, Ben Cohen mentioned it was prevented from launching an ice cream which expressed “solidarity with Palestine”.

This row has now been inherited by Magnum, culminating on this week’s stand-off, and Mittal’s elimination.

“This October, Unilever-Magnum executives threatened me with defamatory statements in their forthcoming prospectus if I did not resign,” Mittal mentioned.

“At the same time, they offered me a prominent role in a multimillion dollar Unilever-funded non-profit if I gave in,” she added.

She mentioned she had turned down that “inappropriate” provide.

Magnum is now the world’s largest ice cream maker, with its manufacturers embrace Cornetto, Wall’s and Carte D’Or.

Mittal, founding father of the Oakland Institute, a human rights and growth centered assume tank in California, described Magnum’s strategy as a “public smear campaign” and mentioned the allegations have been unfounded.

One of the agency’s unique founders Jerry Greenfield left the agency in September saying he felt its social mission was being stifled. The different, Ben Cohen, has additionally hit out at Magnum saying it was “not fit” to personal the agency.

In an announcement a spokesperson for Magnum mentioned the steps it had taken have been aimed toward strengthening company governance and to “reaffirm the responsibilities of the Board of Ben & Jerry’s”.

“These actions aim to preserve and enhance the brand’s historical social mission and safeguard its essential integrity,” a spokesperson mentioned.

When Ben & Jerry’s was created in 1978 it made its mark promoting flavours akin to Cherry Garcia named after the guitarist from rock band Grateful Dead, Bohemian Raspberry, a play on the Queen monitor, and the now discontinued Vermonty Python.

Magnum mentioned in its assertion: “We remain unequivocally committed to Ben & Jerry’s three-part mission – product, economic and social – and its progressive, non-partisan values.

“Ben & Jerry’s continues to advocate for a spread of causes and be a daring voice for social justice, as a look at its social media channels demonstrates.”