I work in a large building full of cubicles with all the non patient centered medical staff (coders, billers, payment posting etc) for a medical organization. There are huge catered events there several times a year as well as holiday potlucks for all the employees. There are never vegan options. Even the salads are preloaded with dressings, cheese, meats etc. Very rarely there are fresh fruit trays, but they are far and few in between. Events are catered since there is not a cafetaria or onsite food sources other than vending machines (the only food/drinks I could or would eat from those is orange juice and a fruit cup, nothing else is vegan). A long time ago I spoke to one of the food coordinators about offering some vegan or at least vegetarian options. I showed her a list of possible foods that could be included and made sure to include easy to find and cheap items like veggie tray with hummus, fruit tray, corn chips/salsa etc. I was told that years ago (before I worked there) a survey went around for vegans and vegetarians regarding this and all said they didn't care. The coordinator also said that if she started accomodating vegans, she would have to do the same for the gluten free crowd, paleo crowd etc and it would be too complicated. So I gave up advocating anything. I just do not participate in the building wide potlucks.
For my department, there have been a few people kind enough to bring vegan dishes. A friend of mine makes a vegan pasta dish even though she is omni. I ALWAYS bring a few vegan dishes to share. In fact last week I made lemon donuts with a coconut butter frosting (works so much better than plant margarine seriously! and no palm oil) and people devoured them!
At the main campus downtown where we have two hospitals and two clinics all linked together, the main cafeteria/food serviceshas been great about including ever more vegan options. I donated a book a few years ago to the director of nutrition services there called "Vegan in Volume" and a letter detailing my mothers experience as a gluten free vegan inpatient in the hospital and having to live on plain potatoes and oatmeal (she was in for severe diverticulitis). I gave some ideas and was very nice and encouraging in my letter. It took over a year, but the director responded to me with a huge thank you and said he had been working on incorporating five menu items from the book I donated for their cafeteria menu on a regular basis. those have now been implemented, and they have a vegan wild rice salad from the book always available at the salad bar. They now have hummus, vegan bagels, soy milks, and vegan energy/granola bars and yogurts at the cafeteria as well. The director added my name to a few vegan menu items with a thank you for donating the Vegan in Volume book they used to make the menu item. I am a contact person for other vegans and those interested in plant based eating.
So at least THAT has been a positive experience. Someday when I have more time I am going to head over to the competing hospital and do the same.
It doesn't bother me a ton that my place of work doesn't cater to vegans. It keeps me away from the junk lol. I happily bring my own homemade foods to work daily for my meals, and now a new Whole Foods Coop just opened two blocks from my place of work (and ten blocks from where I live). They have a HUGE selection of vegan food and deli items, including tofu and seitan dishes at their deli, as well as vegan curries etc. I am spoiled now.