WeWork banishes meat

WeWork gets rid of the meat and takes away each of its employees.

The start-up expressed environmental concerns by announcing the immediate ban on meat at the company's scale. In an email sent on Thursday, WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey told his approximately 6,000 employees that the company would no longer serve meat for employees' activities or reimburse them for meals containing red meat. , poultry and pork.

This is a bold move for the $ 20 billion real estate giant – and the most assertive in a series of recent steps taken by large corporations to promote sustainability.

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

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WeWork, based in New York and present in more than 20 countries, offers differentiated rates for coworking spaces that can reach more than $ 1,000 per month. Its point of sale is "community," and the company prides itself on helping to establish the culture for entrepreneurs and businesses that use its facilities.

While it is not unusual for companies to take action that they deem useful for environmental sustainability, they have been limited as a whole. American Airlines and Starbucks have recently announced their intention to ban plastic straws as they contribute to ocean pollution and endanger marine life.

Others have adopted more extreme measures. Start-up failed According to Juicero, employees only had to eat in vegan restaurants when they were traveling if they wanted to be reimbursed. Employees of the Nootrobox smart drug start-up are performing intermittent fasting every Tuesday.

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

The policy comes into effect immediately, which means that employees will not see hamburgers, hot dogs or other carnivorous options at the next annual summer camp reunion.

"In just three days we are together, we estimate that we can save more than 10,000 animals," he writes in the e-mail. "The team worked hard to create a sustainable menu, hearty and delicious. "

This may not go very well with employees who want to help the planet, but see nothing wrong with biting into a grilled steak or carnitas burrito." On one side, considering With altruistic motivations expressed, it is positive to want to do something to improve the environment, "said Cindy Schipani, who teaches business law at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. On the other hand, the company reduces its benefits s ociaux, and employees who are not subscribers to a meatless diet may become dissatisfied. "

CNNMoney (New York) First published July 13, 2018: ET 5:25 pm