Author: Paula Beck, HR Business Partner for PACT HR

Published: 1st January 2022

The 1st January marks the beginning of Veganuary, the month-long challenge that encourages meat-eaters to stick to a plant based diet. With over half a million participants last year, and the numbers are set to rise again for 2022.

This year, PACT HR are challenging you and your team to take on the Veganuary Workplace Challenge and guess what – we’ll join you!

Why should employers take note of this growing trend?

On 3 January 2020 it was ruled that ethical veganism is classified under law as a ‘philosophical belief,’ which is one of the nine protected characteristics listed under the Equality Act 2010. A concern for employers is potential discrimination claims. The Equality Act 2010 places a legal obligation on employers to ensure they do not directly or indirectly discriminate against someone because of their protected characteristics. These include, but are not limited to; age, disability, gender, marriage, pregnancy, sex, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and philosophical belief. Therefore, if an employee shows they are being treated less favourably due to their philosophical belief this leaves employers open to discrimination claims at an Employment Tribunal. 

However, it goes way beyond what our legal responsibilities are.  A good employer knows that when staff are healthy and engaged they are more motivated. Now according to research the vegan diet boasts health benefits such as increased energy levels, improved mood, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and helps to combat weight gain. 

In addition, a vegan diet supports the green agenda, there are considerable environmental benefits as eating animals is the largest contributing factor in habitat loss and extinction, with millions of acres of forest felled each year to make way for livestock production.

Climate Change is big on everyone’s agenda and a 2010 UN report stated that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change.

It has been calculated that one person eating a vegan diet for a month will save 124,900 litres of water, 84 square metres of forest and 273 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions.

For more information on Veganuary go to:

www.veganuary.com

Let us know how you and your team get on by tweeting at us using the handle @PACTHR

For the impact of veganism on Employment, the law, the workplace and how to support employees read our blog from last year by clicking here.

For more info on how we can support you, please contact the PACT HR helpdesk on 01274 436644 or email us at info@pact-hr.co.uk for more details.

Last Updated: 1st January 2022