Unilever ‘cuts millions’ in funding to Ben & Jerry’s Foundation over Gaza donations

Corporate giant and consumer goods company Unilever has reportedly "cut millions" from funding to Ben & Jerry’s charitable foundation as a probe is underway due to the ice cream brand’s donations to Gaza and pro-Palestine organisations.

The multinational parent company, based in the UK, launched an investigation into the charity’s activities in April, with the probe focusing on donations made by the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation to pro-Palestinian and progressive groups, US-based news site Semafor revealed.

The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation distributes $5 million to a variety of left-wing causes, while the pro-Palestine activism of its executives have allegedly upset the parent company.

This comes after Ben Cohen, a co-founder of the ice cream company, was arrested for taking part in a pro-Palestine protest in May.

Reports in Israeli media further state that anger simmered in Unilever following Ben & Jerry’s announcement in 2021 that they would stop trading in the occupied West Bank due to ethical concerns.

Unilever’s investigation was allegedly met with significant resistance, which prompted the company to cut off funding.

According to Semafor, the funding cut also came after Ben & Jerry’s refused to provide audit documents.

Peter ter Kulve, who is the business president of Unilever’s ice cream division, allegedly sent an email to Ben & Jerry’s executives, writing that the foundation’s trustees "have continued to resist basic oversight" and have not cooperated with requests from auditors.

"It represents a marked departure from the norms of charitable organizations, for whom transparency is typically a bedrock operating principle," the email continued.

The New Arab reached out to Unilever for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

The latest development comes after Ben & Jerry’s independent board in May said the war in Gaza is a genocide.

"Ben & Jerry's believes in human rights and advocates for peace, and we join with those around the world who denounce the genocide in Gaza," the board said in a statement.

Ben & Jerry's sued its owner last year over its alleged attempts to silence it on Gaza and criticize US President Donald Trump.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 61,700 Palestinians since October 2023. UN experts and leading human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have determined that Israel's actions amount to genocide.