Governance Changes at Ben & Jerry's Lead to Board Departures Amid New Ownership
Three members of Ben & Jerry's independent board have become ineligible under a new governance regime that includes a nine-year term limit. Chair Anuradha Mittal is among those affected and has left immediately, while Daryn Dodson and Jennifer Henderson will depart at the end of the year.
Anuradha Mittal had previously stated she had no plans to resign under pressure. Co-founder Ben Cohen criticized the changes as a blatant power grab that would strip the board of its legal authority and independence.
Ben & Jerry's says the governance changes are intended to preserve the brand's historical social mission and safeguard its essential integrity. This follows the company's recent transition to ownership by Magnum Ice Cream Company after a spinoff from Unilever last week. Magnum aims to strengthen the brand's non-partisan, values-based position.
Since the 2000 sale to Unilever, Ben & Jerry's has experienced clashes with Unilever over social activism. In 2021, the company refused to sell in areas occupied by Israel, leading to the sale of its Israeli operation to a local licensee. Co-founder Jerry Greenfield left in September, criticizing the loss of independence following Unilever's halt of social activism.
