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Board members to step down after governance changes
Three long-serving members of Ben & Jerry's independent board will leave their roles after the ice cream maker introduced a nine-year term limit for directors, the company confirmed on Tuesday.
Who is affected?
Board chair Anuradha Mittal, who previously stated she had no intention of resigning under pressure, will depart immediately. Directors Daryn Dodson and Jennifer Henderson will serve until the end of the year. All three were notified of the change following the adoption of new governance rules.
Criticism from co-founder
Ben Cohen, co-founder of the Vermont-based brand, condemned the move as a "blatant power grab" aimed at stripping the board of its legal authority and independence. In a statement, Cohen praised the outgoing members for their "integrity and courage," crediting them with upholding the company's social mission through bold decisions.
"Anuradha Mittal, Daryn Dodson, and Jennifer Henderson have served this company with integrity and courage. Over many years, they helped the board make bold, often difficult decisions to uphold Ben & Jerry's social mission."
Ben Cohen, Ben & Jerry's co-founder
Company defends governance overhaul
Ben & Jerry's said the new term limits were implemented to "preserve and enhance the brand's historical social mission and safeguard its essential integrity." The changes follow last week's spinoff from Unilever, which transferred ownership to The Magnum Ice Cream Company, creating the world's largest standalone ice cream maker.
A Magnum spokesperson described the move as part of an effort to "build and strengthen Ben & Jerry's powerful, non-partisan values-based position in the world."
Long-standing tensions resurface
The dispute reflects years of friction between Ben & Jerry's and its corporate owners. The brand was sold to Unilever in 2000 under terms that granted it an independent board and autonomy over its social mission. However, conflicts have escalated in recent years.
In 2021, Ben & Jerry's refused to sell products in Israeli-occupied territories, prompting Unilever to sell its Israeli operations to a local licensee. The fallout deepened in September when co-founder Jerry Greenfield left the company after nearly 50 years, citing the loss of Ben & Jerry's independence following Unilever's restrictions on its activism.
Cohen has warned that the brand's future is at risk under Magnum's ownership, telling the BBC it would be "destroyed" if it remains with the new parent company.
