Ben & Jerry’s Fights Unilever on Social Justice in the Trump Era

As the US celebrated Black History Month in February, Ben & Jerry’s crafted a social media post on keeping the racial-equality fight going even as President Donald Trump rolled back diversity initiatives.

It never saw the light of day.

The post was nixed by Ben & Jerry’s’ parent company Unilever Plc, people familiar with the matter said, like others supporting Palestinian refugees, defending the rights of student protesters and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Anglo-Dutch multinational’s actions are raising questions about the future of the campaigning tradition it pledged to protect when it bought Ben & Jerry’s a quarter century ago. Since then, a series ...