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

The ousted chair of Ben & Jerry’s has accused the corporate which owns the model of threatening to launch a public smear marketing campaign in opposition to her. Anuradha Mittal, who chaired Ben & Jerry’s unbiased board for seven years, informed the BBC that Magnum had threatened to publish “defamatory statements” about her if she didn’t step down from her position.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 “now not met the factors to serve” on the board, following an investigation it had commissioned by exterior advisors.In a press release on Monday, Magnum outlined adjustments to the way in which the board operates together with a nine-year restrict for individuals serving on it. In addition to Mittal, who mentioned she had obtained a letter telling her she had been faraway from the board, two different board members shall be required to depart in consequence.It additionally mentioned that an audit of the Ben & Jerry’s Basis, a charitable organisation, had “recognized a sequence of fabric deficiencies in monetary controls, governance and different compliance insurance policies, together with conflicts of curiosity”.Chatting with the BBC’s World Enterprise 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 a number of years now, we have now been resisting their overreach, together with their efforts to muzzle us from talking out for human rights, for peace,” she mentioned.The model, which can be identified 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 Firm.Ben & Jerry’s was bought to Unilever in 2000 in a deal which allowed it to retain an unbiased 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 removing.”This October, Unilever-Magnum executives threatened me with defamatory statements of their forthcoming prospectus if I didn’t resign,” Mittal mentioned.”On the similar time, they provided me a distinguished position in a multimillion greenback 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 improvement targeted suppose tank in California, described Magnum’s strategy as a “public smear marketing campaign” and mentioned the allegations have been unfounded.One of many agency’s authentic founders Jerry Greenfield left the agency in September saying he felt its social mission was being stifled. The opposite, Ben Cohen, has additionally hit out at Magnum saying it was “not match” to personal the agency.In a press release a spokesperson for Magnum mentioned the steps it had taken have been geared toward strengthening company governance and to “reaffirm the duties of the Board of Ben & Jerry’s”.”These actions goal to protect and improve the model’s historic social mission and safeguard its important integrity,” a spokesperson mentioned.When Ben & Jerry’s was created in 1978 it made its mark promoting flavours resembling Cherry Garcia named after the guitarist from rock band Grateful Lifeless, Bohemian Raspberry, a play on the Queen observe, and the now discontinued Vermonty Python.Magnum mentioned in its assertion: “We stay unequivocally dedicated to Ben & Jerry’s three-part mission – product, financial 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.”