Ordering the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and mini-burgers for your appetizer trays? Not if you’re a meeting planner for WeWork. The New York–based company that rents shared office spaces around the world has instituted a new policy stating that it will not serve poultry, pork, or red meat at company events. The company has also announced that its 6,000 employees will not be able to expense meals that include meat.
In an email first reported by Bloomberg, company co-founder Miguel McKelvey announced that its upcoming “Summer Camp” retreat for employees and the members who rent its spaces would be going vegetarian. “New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact,” said McKelvey in the email, “even more than switching to a hybrid car.”
In 2017, WeWork’s Summer Camp drew approximately 2,000 employees and 3,000 guests to Eridge Park, a country estate about an hour and a half south of London, and the company will return in August. While “Camp” is often used as a euphemism for “conference,” (think Atlassian’s Atlas Camp or Keller Williams’ Mega Camp), WeWork’s festival-like Summer Camp takes its name at face value, with lodging in teepees, yurts, safari tents, nylon tents, and pop-up rooms for two. (Choose between lodging areas like general camping, quiet camping, and up-all-night camping.) Activities include roller skating, boxing, hip hop yoga, tree climbing, paddleboarding, croquet, axe throwing, foraging, badminton, and beatboxing. But definitely no hotdog-eating competitions.
WeWork’s decision follows the company’s recent internal efforts to cut down on the use of plastic and redistribute waste food from its events to charities.
