Ben & Jerry’s is claiming that its parent company Unilever has violated their merger agreement by removing the ice cream brand’s CEO without the consent of the board. The move was in response to the CEO’s public comments on progressive issues, defying the terms of the 2000 merger that prohibit the unilateral dismissal of the CEO. The lawsuit accuses Unilever of removing the CEO due to his alignment with Ben & Jerry’s values and not based on performance concerns. Unilever has yet to respond to the allegations. The dispute between the two companies has been ongoing since 2021, with Ben & Jerry's claiming that Unilever has attempted to stifle the brand's social media communication on various issues such as abortion, climate change, universal healthcare, and support for Palestinian refugees.