To reduce their environmental impact, WeWork is striking meat from the corporate menu: barring employees from expensing any meat dishes.
First reported by Bloomberg, WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey announced the policy in an employee memo, stating, “New research shows avoiding meat is one of the best things to reduce [our] personal environmental impact.”
Still, people aren’t sure what to think…
While helping the environment sounds like a noble policy for any corporation to take on, some worry that it blurs the line of what’s kosher for companies to enforce upon their employees.
Law professor Cindy Schipani told CNN the meatless move could lead to trouble if employees who don’t agree with the policy become upset over their “employee benefit” being scaled back.
But, in terms of preserving the planet, WeWork’s push to remove flesh from the stew is tough to argue. The company estimates they will save 445m lbs of carbon dioxide emissions by 2023, north of 16B gallons of water, and over 15m animals.
Corporate responsibility… so hot right now
Companies like the ill-fated Juicero had similar policies in place for their employees, and many others are cutting costs on other environmental evildoers: American Airlines and Starbucks have both followed WeWork’s lead in their “zero plastic” initiative.
For those worried that WeWork is here to take employees’ meat away, never fear. Employees are still allowed to bring meat to work and eat it. Just not on the company dollar.
