V-MIL Audit: Unilever

Direct Defence Contracting & Procurement

No public evidence identified that Unilever holds or has held any contracts, tender awards, framework agreements, or memoranda of understanding with the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD), Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Israel Prison Service, or Israel Border Police ¹².

Unilever is not listed in Israeli Defence Export Directorate (SIBAT) publications or international defence trade exhibition catalogues such as DSEI or Eurosatory, consistent with its fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) business model ¹.

Unilever’s 2024 Annual Report and Accounts contains no disclosure of defence contracts, Israeli military procurement relationships, or export licence activity related to defence or security end-users ¹.

Unilever’s SEC Form 20-F for 2024 similarly contains no reference to defence contracts, military procurement, or Israeli security sector relationships ².

Dual-Use Products & Tactical Variants

No public evidence identified that Unilever manufactures or markets ruggedised, tactical, mil-spec, or defence-grade variants of its products, which consist entirely of consumer goods including food and beverages, home care products, and beauty and personal care items ¹³.

Unilever does not produce industrial chemicals, electronic components, optical systems, propulsion materials, or other categories typically attracting dual-use classification under EU Regulation 2021/821 or the US Export Administration Regulations ¹.

No publicly known export licence applications, end-user certificates, or government export control reviews related to Unilever sales to Israeli defence or security end-users appear in any jurisdiction’s public records ⁴³.

Heavy Machinery, Construction & Infrastructure

No public evidence identified that Unilever manufactures heavy machinery, construction equipment, armoured vehicles, or earth-moving equipment ¹.

Unilever confirmed in January 2013 the closure of the Beigel and Beigel factory, a 51%-owned subsidiary, in the Barkan settlement industrial zone; production was transferred to Safed ⁵.

Who Profits researchers visited the Barkan site in February 2013 and confirmed the factory was closed and the Beigel and Beigel logo removed ⁵.

No NGO investigation, UN report, photographic record, or news report documents Unilever-branded equipment operating in Israeli settlements, along the separation barrier, or at military installations ⁵.

Supply Chain Integration with Defence Primes

No public evidence identified of verified supply relationships between Unilever and any Israeli defence prime contractors including Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, or Israel Military Industries (IMI) ⁶.

The June 2024 PAX report “Companies Arming Israel and Their Financiers” does not name Unilever as an arming company or as a financier of arming companies ⁶.

Maman Cargo Terminals and Handling Ltd, an Israeli publicly-traded logistics provider at Ben Gurion Airport, lists “Unilever” among its “general business partners,” representing a commercial logistics relationship at a civilian airport rather than a defence supply relationship ⁷.

Unilever’s manufacturing outputs—detergents, personal care formulations, food products, ice cream, condiments, and tea—do not intersect with guidance electronics, propulsion materials, optical systems, structural composites, or energetic materials relevant to Israeli defence primes ¹.

Logistical Sustainment & Base Services

No public evidence identified of Unilever contracts to provide catering, transport, fuel, waste management, facilities maintenance, or telecommunications to IDF bases, military training facilities, detention centres, or Israeli security installations ⁶.

Maman Cargo Terminals and Handling Ltd lists Unilever as a client for routine commercial cargo handling at Ben Gurion Airport, distinct from defence logistics ⁷.

Maman Cargo’s subsidiary Archive 2000 operates in Mishor Adumim settlement, but the Unilever relationship is limited to civilian airport operations and does not extend to settlement-based logistics activities ⁷.

Unilever’s Israeli operations consist of consumer goods distribution through retail channels, distinct from base support and facilities management contracts ¹.

Munitions, Weapons Systems & Strategic Platforms

No public evidence identified that Unilever manufactures small arms, artillery, armoured vehicles, tactical drones, naval vessels, or any other lethal platform ¹.

No evidence indicates that Unilever supplies ammunition, explosive ordnance, chemical propellants, warhead components, or munitions precursor materials to any end-user, including Israeli defence customers ¹.

No documented role exists for Unilever in the manufacture, integration, maintenance, or component supply for Israeli missile defence systems including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, nor for fighter aircraft programmes, main battle tanks, warships, or ballistic missile systems ¹.

Unilever is not named in any munitions or weapons systems context in the PAX June 2024 report “Companies Arming Israel and Their Financiers” ⁶.

Export Licensing, Regulatory & Legal History

No government in any jurisdiction has been recorded granting, denying, suspending, or revoking an export licence for Unilever products destined for Israeli military or security end-users ⁴.

Unilever has not been cited, investigated, or subject to enforcement action in connection with arms embargoes, export control regimes, or dual-use sanctions affecting defence trade with Israel ³.

Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. v. Unilever PLC (SDNY Case No. 1:24-cv-08641) was filed in November 2024, with Ben & Jerry’s alleging Unilever silenced its support for Palestinian human rights, threatened to dismantle the board, and failed to make a $5 million charitable payment; this litigation concerns corporate governance and consumer goods distribution, not defence contracting or weapons supply ⁸.

Unilever is not on the Norway Government Pension Fund Global exclusion or observation list ⁹.

The UK government’s July 2025 export control licensing data for Israel, covering 167 military licences, does not contain Unilever-specific entries ⁴.

Civil Society Scrutiny & Documented Investigations

Who Profits maintains a company entry for Unilever historically and removed Unilever/Beigel and Beigel from its database in 2013 after confirmed withdrawal from the Barkan settlement ⁵.

Who Profits maintains an entry for American Quality Products Ltd (AQP) as the entity now operating Ben & Jerry’s sales in West Bank settlements ⁷.

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Investigate programme lists Unilever on grounds of Ben & Jerry’s sales in occupied territories through the Israeli licensee prior to 2022, and Unilever’s decision to transfer the Israeli franchise rather than discontinue sales ¹⁰.

Corporate Occupation lists Unilever on grounds of consumer goods distribution in occupied territories, not defence contracting ¹¹.

Unilever is not listed in the 2020 (A/HRC/43/71), 2023 (A/HRC/52/67), or 2025 iterations of the UN OHCHR database of business enterprises involved in settlement-related activities ¹².

The UN Special Rapporteur’s June 2025 report (A/HRC/59/23) by Francesca Albanese notes that “Ben & Jerrys continues to fight to implement its decision to withdraw sales to colonies against efforts of its parent company Unilever” (para. 66), documenting UN attention to the consumer goods dispute rather than defence activity ¹³.

The PAX “Companies Arming Israel” report published June 2024 does not name Unilever as an arming company or financier ⁶.

The PAX “Don’t Buy Into Occupation 2025” report covering 104 companies does not specifically identify Unilever in available excerpts ¹⁴.

Ben & Jerry’s issued a statement in July 2021 announcing its decision to stop sales in occupied Palestinian territory, which Unilever subsequently overrode through the 2022 franchise sale to AQP ¹⁵.

Unilever sold the Ben & Jerry’s Israel business to American Quality Products Ltd (AQP) in June 2022, with AQP continuing to sell Ben & Jerry’s products in the West Bank under Hebrew and Arabic branding ¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸.

The BDS Movement maintains a campaign page regarding Ben & Jerry’s and its operations in occupied territories ¹⁹.

End Notes