In a letter posted on X, Mr Greenfield said Ben & Jerry’s has lost its ability to speak out “in support of peace, justice, and human rights” and no longer has “the independence to pursue its values”.
He claimed that this censorship has come at a time when the US administration is “attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBT community”.
“It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone,” Mr Greenfield said.
“If I can’t carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can,” the letter added.
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***The Telegraph reports:***
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield has resigned from the ice cream company over claims it has been [“silenced” by parent company Unilever](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/19/ben-jerrys-accuses-unilever-ousting-boss-opposition-trump/).
In a letter posted on X, Mr Greenfield said Ben & Jerry’s has lost its ability to speak out “in support of peace, justice, and human rights” and no longer has “the independence to pursue its values”.
He claimed that this censorship has come at a time when the US administration is “attacking civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women and the LGBT community”.
He also claimed Ben & Jerry’s, which has repeatedly [clashed with Unilever over the ice cream brand’s support for Palestine](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/05/30/israel-in-gaza-genocide-says-ben-and-jerrys/), has been “sidelined” despite an agreement that “enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governance structure in perpetuity”.
“It’s profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone,” Mr Greenfield said.
“If I can’t carry those values forward inside the company today, then I will carry them forward outside, with all the love and conviction I can,” the letter added.
Mr Greenfield’s letter comes after [Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever last year](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/28/ben-jerrys-plots-split-with-owner-amid-criticism-of-israel/) over claims it was blocked from speaking out in support of Palestinian refugees.
**Read more:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/17/ben-jerrys-co-founder-quits-after-being-silenced-unilever/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/17/ben-jerrys-co-founder-quits-after-being-silenced-unilever/)
Censorship is absolutely wild these days. It should not be career suicide to criticise a country or support the victims of a war.
Never put your name on your company if you EVER plan on selling it.
>no longer has “the independence to pursue its values”.
You lose that when you sell your business to someone else so it is no longer yours.