Ben Cohen is an American businessman, activist, and co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream (with his best friend Jerry Greenfield). Born in 1951 to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, he raised his profile by pioneering “socially responsible business” practices, integrating corporate profits with political and social advocacy.
Throughout his career at Ben & Jerry’s, Cohen supported progressive campaigns focused on climate change, racial justice, and military budget reduction. He pioneered the practice of donating a percentage of pre-tax profits to social causes and pushed the company to become one of the first major brands to achieve B Corp certification. Following the company’s acquisition by multinational conglomerate Unilever in 2000, Cohen and co-founder Jerry Greenfield established a legally binding arrangement that created an Independent Board of Directors. This board maintained distinct authority over the brand’s social mission, brand integrity, and corporate political stances.
Cohen has long criticized Israeli occupation policies in the Palestinian territories. In July 2021, Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board announced it would end ice cream sales in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. When Unilever subsequently attempted to bypass the board by selling the local Israeli distribution rights to a third party, the Independent Board filed a lawsuit against Unilever. Defending the board’s decision on MSNBC, Cohen stated: “As a Jew, I support this decision. Being critical of Israeli government policy is not the same as being anti-Semitic.“
2025 Events and Unilever Conflict
In 2025, amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, tension between Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board and parent company Unilever escalated into a public corporate dispute. The Independent Board planned to launch a limited-edition watermelon-themed sorbet calling for an immediate ceasefire, with 100% of proceeds earmarked for humanitarian relief in Gaza and Palestinian civil rights organizations.
Fearing international boycotts and political pushback, Unilever leadership exercised its corporate veto to block the production and distribution of the flavor. Cohen and Greenfield condemned Unilever’s intervention as a violation of the 2000 acquisition contract that guaranteed the Independent Board’s autonomy over political advocacy.
Following Unilever’s refusal to release the flavor, Greenfield resigned from his advisory role at Ben & Jerry’s. Cohen subsequently produced and distributed the watermelon-themed sorbet through his independent venture, “Ben’s Best,” directing proceeds to Gaza relief efforts.