UK Company Introduces No-Meat Policy

This Manchester-based property development firm will no longer reimburse its employees for meals that contain meat.

The company is introducing a vegetarian-only expense policy.

The policy also applies to corporate catering, workshop and entertaining meetings.

Igloo Regeneration introduced the policy in 2019 in order to reduce its environmental impact.

Igloo is the UK's "leading responsible real estate business,"and its internal policies should reflect that", Igloo Regeneration director John Long told the BBC.

"We're not checking the bins," he said.  "The important thing is that we want to treat everyone as a grown-up. A lot of people thought it was challenging when we first talked about it. We knew it could be controversial internally."

Kate Marfleet, who leads Igloo Regeneration's values team said the company considered introducing a vegan policy, but employees regarded it to be "too restrictive."

Marfleet said the majority of the staff were quite supportive of the vegetarian decision.

"It certainly sparked a lot of internal conversation about food and particularly as a younger person, it's interesting to have conversations with our older colleagues who say they are now eating a lot less meat at home as well," she said.

"I think it's the right thing, it's about encouraging people to make small, positive changes. Eating less meat is one of them."