Read the original article by Lisa M. Keefe at meatingplace.com here.
A co-founder of WeWork, a system of co-working spaces for small companies, freelancers and others with a sometime need for an office, has banned meat from the company menus and on-site vending machines, and will not reimburse employees for meals that include meat, Bloomberg reported.
“New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact,” Miguel McKelvey is quoted as saying in the memo, “even more than switching to a hybrid car.”
In a statement, North American Meat Institute President and CEO Barry Carpenter disputed McKelvey’s assertions.
“It is shocking that any company would make a decision to remove a nutritious and delicious food choice for its employees, particularly when the data show that the environmental benefits of such a move are minimal at best. … U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data show that all of agriculture contributes 9 percent of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the US. Animal agriculture is around 4 percent. … Any company looking to make a positive environmental impact would achieve far more by encouraging less energy use at the office and public transportation for its employees,” said Carpenter.
WeWork employs 6,000 worldwide and 400 co-working spaces. The company also has taken a stand against using excessive amounts of plastic, and redistributes leftovers from its events to organizations that serve the needy.
In the email, McKelvey said the policy applied to travel and expenses on company time, and also to the self-serve food and drink kiosk system that is available in some of its co-working spaces.
