Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream company he helped launch nearly 50 years ago, saying that the independence it once had to speak up on social issues has been stifled by parent company Unilever.

Ben Cohen, Greenfield’s co-founder, posted a letter to social media on his behalf outlining his reasons for departing.

In the letter, Greenfield writes, "For more than 20 years under [Unilever]’s ownership, Ben & Jerry’s stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world."

“That independence existed in no small part because of the unique merger agreement Ben and I negotiated with Unilever, one that enshrined our social mission and values in the company’s governanc

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