Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, has not said if it will return land to Native American tribes after the ice cream brand suggested we commit to doing so July 4th.
Unilever has not responded to multiple inquiries from the Daily Caller about Ben & Jerry’s tweet and whether it will give its land back to Native American tribes. (RELATED: Ben & Jerry’s Parent Company Loses An Estimated $2.5 Billion After July 4 Tweet About ‘Stolen Indigenous Land)
This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it. Learn more and take action now: https://t.co/45smaBmORH pic.twitter.com/a6qp7LXUAE
— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) July 4, 2023
“This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it. Learn more and take action now,” the ice cream brand tweeted. The tweet linked to a petition on the Ben & Jerry’s website calling for Mount Rushmore to be returned to the Lakota tribe.
Ben & Jerry’s did not respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment about the tweet and has not issued a public statement about it.
An indigenous tribe located in Vermont, where Ben & Jerry’s is based, told Newsweek they are interested in reclaiming the land where the ice cream brand’s headquarters is located.
“We are always interested in reclaiming the stewardship of our lands throughout our traditional territories and providing opportunities to uplift our communities,” Don Stevens, chief of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, a tribe descendant from the Abenaki and recognized by Vermont, said.
Steven told the outlet the tribe “has not been approached in regards to any land back opportunities from Ben & Jerry’s.”
“If and when we are approached, many conversations and discussions will need to take place to determine the best path forward for all involved,” he added.
Unilever lost an estimated $2.5 billion in market cap shortly after the Ben & Jerry’s tweet sparked calls for boycott, similar to how consumers have boycotted Bud Light and Target. The firm generated approximately $13 billion in U.S. revenue in 2022 out of roughly $63 billion overall.
Ben & Jerry’s is currently facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly hiring migrant child workers to process milk used in its ice cream. The company’s website says it is committed to “values led sourcing” and “the rights and dignity of refugees and asylum seekers” as part of its progressive activism.
Ben & Jerry’s has also come out in favor of boycotting certain regions of Israel and defunding the police in urban areas. One of Ben & Jerry’s co-founders has allegedly funded an activist group fighting against U.S. military aid for Ukraine, while Unilever continues to do business in Russia, according to the BBC.
“We also want to be clear that we are not trying to protect or manage our business in Russia. However, for companies like Unilever, which have a significant physical presence in the country, exiting is not straightforward,” Unilever told the outlet.
The Moral Rating Agency, an activist organization founded to monitor companies’ alleged links to Russia, estimates Unilever is contributing $743 million annually to Russia’s economy, the outlet noted.
