6,000 employee company banning meat

Emma JC

Forum Legend
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Reaction score
12,294
Location
Canada
Lifestyle
  1. Vegan
Wow, I am so impressed.... it's working! it's spreading!

Emma JC

https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/13/technology/wework-meat-ban/index.html

WeWork is going meat-free and taking every one of its employees with it.
The startup cited environmental concerns in announcing its immediate company-wide ban on meat. In an email sent Thursday, WeWork cofounder Miguel McKelvey told his 6,000 or so employees the company will no longer serve meat at employee events or reimburse them for meals that include red meat, poultry and pork.

It's a bold move for the real estate behemoth believed to be worth $20 billion -- and the most assertive in a series of recent steps large companies have taken to promote sustainability.

"These actions sharpen, or reaffirm, a company's identity in the broader political culture," said Forrest Briscoe, professor of management and organization at Penn State's Smeal College of Business. "And as long as there are stakeholders who approve, then they can also make a plausible business case for such actions."

New York-based WeWork, which operates in more than 20 countries, offers tiered pricing plans for coworking spaces that can run more than $1,000 a month. Its selling point is "community," and the company prides itself on helping set the culture for the entrepreneurs and businesses that use its facilities.

While it's not unusual for companies to take measures that they deem to help with environmental sustainability, they've been limited in measure. American Airlines and Starbucks recently announced plans to ban plastic straws because they contribute to ocean pollution and endanger marine life.

Others have adopted more extreme measures. Failed startup Juicero reportedly required employees to eat only at vegan restaurants while traveling if they wanted to be reimbursed. Employees at the smart drug startup Nootrobox engage in intermittent fasting each Tuesday.

McKelvey notes in his email -- obtained by CNN -- that WeWork can save "an estimated 16.7 billion gallons of water, 445.1 million pounds (201.9 million kg) of CO2 emissions, and over 15 million animals by 2023 by eliminating meat at our events."

The policy takes effect immediately, which means employees won't see burgers, hot dogs, or other carnivorous options at the company's upcoming annual 'Summer Camp' gathering.

"In just the three days we are together, we estimate that we can save more than 10,000 animals," he wrote in the email. "The team has worked hard to create a sustainable, plentiful, and delicious menu."

That may not go over well with employees who want to help the planet but see nothing wrong with biting into a grilled steak or carnitas burrito.

"On one hand, given the altruistic motives expressed, it's a positive step to want to do something to improve the environment," said Cindy Schipani, who teaches business law at University of Michigan Ross School of Business. "On the other hand, the company is cutting back on an employee benefit, and those employees who do not subscribe to a meat-free diet may become disgruntled."

CNNMoney (New York) First published July 13, 2018: 5:25 PM ET
 
Good. Its a start. Ill wait to be impressed when Google or Amazon follows suit.

One of the saddest cases is the Sierra Nevada business model. They have the most environmentally sustainable business model in the US...But they still serve meat in their two restaurants. If they would go vegetarian that would delight me.

My college has many student functions where there is no meat served. There's this weird old group of administrative or faculty that cling to the meat fallacy though, it beggars belief that at one of the greenest campuses in California they're still considering flesh consumption a tolerable form of "cultural diversity."

There should be a chain reaction of this in demand. This is why I don't think vegans should be passive. It's not only a betrayal of animals but of the earth and mankind. It's on par with hating Nazis but doing nothing when they drag your neighbors away.
 
Wow, I am so impressed.... it's working! it's spreading!

Emma JC

https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/13/technology/wework-meat-ban/index.html

WeWork is going meat-free and taking every one of its employees with it.
The startup cited environmental concerns in announcing its immediate company-wide ban on meat. In an email sent Thursday, WeWork cofounder Miguel McKelvey told his 6,000 or so employees the company will no longer serve meat at employee events or reimburse them for meals that include red meat, poultry and pork.

It's a bold move for the real estate behemoth believed to be worth $20 billion -- and the most assertive in a series of recent steps large companies have taken to promote sustainability.

"These actions sharpen, or reaffirm, a company's identity in the broader political culture," said Forrest Briscoe, professor of management and organization at Penn State's Smeal College of Business. "And as long as there are stakeholders who approve, then they can also make a plausible business case for such actions."

New York-based WeWork, which operates in more than 20 countries, offers tiered pricing plans for coworking spaces that can run more than $1,000 a month. Its selling point is "community," and the company prides itself on helping set the culture for the entrepreneurs and businesses that use its facilities.

While it's not unusual for companies to take measures that they deem to help with environmental sustainability, they've been limited in measure. American Airlines and Starbucks recently announced plans to ban plastic straws because they contribute to ocean pollution and endanger marine life.

Others have adopted more extreme measures. Failed startup Juicero reportedly required employees to eat only at vegan restaurants while traveling if they wanted to be reimbursed. Employees at the smart drug startup Nootrobox engage in intermittent fasting each Tuesday.

McKelvey notes in his email -- obtained by CNN -- that WeWork can save "an estimated 16.7 billion gallons of water, 445.1 million pounds (201.9 million kg) of CO2 emissions, and over 15 million animals by 2023 by eliminating meat at our events."

The policy takes effect immediately, which means employees won't see burgers, hot dogs, or other carnivorous options at the company's upcoming annual 'Summer Camp' gathering.

"In just the three days we are together, we estimate that we can save more than 10,000 animals," he wrote in the email. "The team has worked hard to create a sustainable, plentiful, and delicious menu."

That may not go over well with employees who want to help the planet but see nothing wrong with biting into a grilled steak or carnitas burrito.

"On one hand, given the altruistic motives expressed, it's a positive step to want to do something to improve the environment," said Cindy Schipani, who teaches business law at University of Michigan Ross School of Business. "On the other hand, the company is cutting back on an employee benefit, and those employees who do not subscribe to a meat-free diet may become disgruntled."

CNNMoney (New York) First published July 13, 2018: 5:25 PM ET
co-founder Miguel McKelvey explained, “New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact, even more than switching to a hybrid car,” he wrote. Through this move, the company estimates that by 2023 it will save 445.1m pounds of CO2emissions and 15,507,103 animals. figures are huge and yes this will bring change
 
… meals that include red meat, poultry and pork.

Hmmmm - apparently fish is still on the menu, though. And eggs and dairy.

Overall I like this move. Of course it's going to set meat-eaters up in arms over this, but the article was clear that employees can bring their own meat if they want. They also asked employees with religious backgrounds to talk with them if they feel they need special exceptions.

I'm willing to bet a portion of the employee culture there has already been in agreement with this. It would be really astounding if only the CEO wanted this without support, so, that said, I bet many of the employees there are happy with this decision, or at the very least aren't offended by it or feeling victimized.
 
I'm willing to bet a portion of the employee culture there has already been in agreement with this. It would be really astounding if only the CEO wanted this without support, so, that said, I bet many of the employees there are happy with this decision, or at the very least aren't offended by it or feeling victimized.

WeWork has always been progressive, and being planet-friendly has always been part of its ethos. According to their website, the company is also committed to going plastic-free, which includes initiatives like no plastic cups for water in their offices instead they provide reusable water bottles to all its members, separate bins for recyclable waste and general waste, and use of compostable cups for coffee, among others. The company also tackles food waste by redistributing excess food from its events to good causes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Emma JC
I’m all for this but can those people not just leave on their lunch breaks and go get fast food?
 
I’m all for this but can those people not just leave on their lunch breaks and go get fast food?

I think you maybe misunderstood:

"the company will no longer serve meat at employee events or reimburse them for meals that include red meat, poultry and pork."

It is not forbidding meat to be eaten by their employees just that they will not serve it or reimburse meals that have meat in them.

Emma JC
 
I think you maybe misunderstood:

"the company will no longer serve meat at employee events or reimburse them for meals that include red meat, poultry and pork."

It is not forbidding meat to be eaten by their employees just that they will not serve it or reimburse meals that have meat in them.

Emma JC
Exactly
 
Hmmmm - apparently fish is still on the menu, though. And eggs and dairy.

Overall I like this move. Of course it's going to set meat-eaters up in arms over this, but the article was clear that employees can bring their own meat if they want. They also asked employees with religious backgrounds to talk with them if they feel they need special exceptions.

I'm willing to bet a portion of the employee culture there has already been in agreement with this. It would be really astounding if only the CEO wanted this without support, so, that said, I bet many of the employees there are happy with this decision, or at the very least aren't offended by it or feeling victimized.
I like the company's aims but cannot approve of the way they pursue them. If it is true that most of their workforce approve of this move, why did the company not have a vote on this issue? In politics the process is always as important as the issue. If we disapprove of the Nazis, then we should not use fascist methods to further our own aims. Was there debate, education, democratic decision-making? And why make an exception for people who believe in gods or other ideologies? My boss has the right to insist that I work well from 9 till 5 but s/he has not got the right to coerce or force me to eat some things and not others.
Please do not misunderstand me. I approve of the CEO's aims 100%. But I give him 0 out of 10 for his methods. Education and coercion are incompatible.
 
A company is not a democracy and yet I do see that they have gone out of their way to accommodate and facilitate. I see no coercion just policy.

Do companies have votes everytime they decide to provide pizza for their employees, what if people don't like pizza? Do they have a vote about the temperature the building is kept at? I could go on....

I have no attachment to, nor had I ever heard of this company before I posted the article and yet I believe that your saying their policy is fascist is a step way too far.

Emma JC
 
A company is not a democracy and yet I do see that they have gone out of their way to accommodate and facilitate. I see no coercion just policy.

Do companies have votes everytime they decide to provide pizza for their employees, what if people don't like pizza? Do they have a vote about the temperature the building is kept at? I could go on....

I have no attachment to, nor had I ever heard of this company before I posted the article and yet I believe that your saying their policy is fascist is a step way too far.

Emma JC
Hi Emma
I agree fascist is a bit strong. I was not the first to use the word in this thread.
I certainly did not assume you had connections to the company.
I did NOT say their policy was fascist. I said I agreed with it 100%. That's a LONG way off fascist. However their disregard for the way in which the process of change was implemented was very much fascist imho. Forest Nymph used the word first and suggested that "passive vegans" are fascist. Fascists are rarely passive.
I agree that a company is not a democracy. But any good company is more on the democratic side than on the fascist side. Swedish companies are good in that way.