The Impact World This Week: 20 March 2025

USA: Ben & Jerry’s has accused its parent company Unilever of sacking the ice-cream brand’s chief executive for refusing to “oversee the dismantling” of its progressive values. It has been reported Ben & Jerry’s alleged that David Stever – who led the company for almost two years – was “removed” from his post earlier this month. The case is the latest in a series of battles between the companies. Last month, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of demanding that it stop publicly criticising US President Donald Trump. In November 2024 it sued Unilever, accusing the company of trying to block it from making public statements supporting Palestinian refugees. Ben & Jerry’s, which describes itself as a “values-led company”, was bought by Unilever in 2000. As part of the merger deal an independent board was set up to protect the ice-cream brand’s mission and strong stance on social issues.

• Watch: Pioneers Post interviews Jerry Greenfield from Ben & Jerry’s

UK: Two’s company for UK regulators after the government proposed to merge the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies (the CIC Regulator) into Companies House. The merger comes as part of a wider initiative announced by the government this week to streamline regulation. It says complex and duplicative regulation is stifling progress, innovation and growth and cites Singapore as an example of a more effective regulatory system. Dan Gregory, associate director of Social Enterprise UK, posted on LinkedIn in response to the news: “Given the CIC Regulator - and its roughly 2 people? - are in Companies House already, this looks a little bit pathetic.” The CIC Regulator released a statement to clarify it was “business as usual” for its customers, and their obligations and duties as a CIC remained the same for the time being.

UK: There’s no reprieve for small social enterprises from the upcoming rise in employer national insurance contributions after MPs rejected a proposed exemption. Amendments tabled in the House of Lords would have exempted charities with an annual income of less than £1m, as well as requiring the chancellor Rachel Reeves to conduct an impact assessment of the NICs increase in a variety of sectors, including charities. Both amendments were rejected on Wednesday, with the Commons giving the reason that the amendment interferes with public revenue. Emily Darko, director of policy and research at Social Enterprise UK, told Pioneers Post: “We have heard real anger from our members that the public sector will be protected from NIC increases while social enterprises and charities delivering public services have not been given this reassurance. Indeed, this undermines the government’s own ambition to shift services into the community. We expect to see this inequality addressed in the forthcoming Budget and Spending Review, and in allocations and contracts with social enterprises across the country.”

• Read more: Amend new employer tax policy, Social Enterprise UK tells Labour – as survey scrutinises government’s impact

Figure of the week: £250,000. That’s the amount five Liverpool community organisations and charities have been awarded by the Postcode Innovation Trust, through the Social Climbers support programme, run in partnership with community interest company Capacity. The social investment is 50% loan and 50% grant. Organisations receiving a share of the social investment are Everton in the Community, Koala Northwest, Options for Supported Living, Transform Lives Company and WEB Merseyside.

Movers and shakers

• Simon Smith has been named the new executive director of CEIS Group, a social enterprise and third sector support organisation in Scotland. Smith has served as CEIS Group chain since 2023, after working as head of regional development for UK innovation agency Connected Places Catapult. 
• Alexie Seller is the new chair of the board at Social Enterprise Australia, taking over from Belinda Morrissey, who has been in the role since the organisation’s launch in 2022.