WeWork Follows Bisnow (Sort Of) In Going Vegetarian

Flexible office giant WeWork has taken steps to make itself a vegetarian company.

The company has said it will no longer serve meat at the events it runs or reimburse staff expenses for meals that involve meat.

The move follows in the footsteps of trendsetters like Bisnow, which has had a policy of not serving meat at most of its events for several years, except a few day-long events and events in Texas, where it serves turkey bacon because, well, Texas.

In an email to the company’s 6,000 employees obtained by CNN, WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey said the move was designed to reduce the company’s environmental impact.

"An estimated 16.7 billion gallons of water, 445.1 million pounds (201.9 million kg) of CO2 emissions, and over 15 million animals by 2023 [will be saved] by eliminating meat at our events,” he said.

While the move fits in with an overall corporate culture with a focus on sustainability, it could have its downside.

"On one hand, given the altruistic motives expressed, it's a positive step to want to do something to improve the environment,” a University of Michigan Ross School of Business business law professor, Cindy Schipani, told CNN. "On the other hand, the company is cutting back on an employee benefit, and those employees who do not subscribe to a meat-free diet may become disgruntled."