The row between Ben and Jerry’s and parent The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) continues today, with the announcement of new term limit rules on board membership, effectively removing three members of the board.
The newly announced rules mean that those who have been members of the board for more than nine years cannot be re-elected. This puts it in line with TMICC Group’s governance model and best practices.
As a result, chair Anuradha Mittal will leave the company immediately, followed by board members Daryn Dodson and Jennifer Henderson at the end of the year.
The conflict between Ben and Jerry’s and its parent company started when it was still owned by Unilever. The brand accused the UK multinational of “silencing” its activism, and even preventing it from developing a pro-Palestine ice cream.
When Unilever spun off its ice cream business into TMICC (the process of which was completed last week with the latter’s listing), Ben and Jerry’s was inherited by this new company. Nevertheless, the conflict continued.
Ben and Jerry’s has been outspoken about its desire to leave its parent, and co-founder Jerry Greenfield has even stepped down from his role as brand ambassador. TMICC, however, wants the brand to remain part of its portfolio.
Ben and Jerry’s 2000 merger agreement with Unilever created an independent board of directors, aiming to preserve its activism.
