Program overview: A major global accounting firm, KPMG LLP, implemented a 12-week Meatless Monday Challenge as part of a sustainability employee engagement strategy in their New York office. The effort was organized by their Living Green network, a community of environmental champions across KPMG LLP.
Objective: Educate employees and promote sustainable lifestyle options as part of the company’s Living Green initiative by encouraging employees to reduce their meat consumption one day a week.
Process: The company’s Living Green network promoted the Meatless Monday Challenge via email and other company communications as a 12-week challenge. Employees who opted in received weekly emails that included information related to the health and environmental benefits of eating less meat. Employees could interact on a social networking site where they helped each other stay motivated and shared recipes and cooking tips.
Outcome: After a successful campaign in the New York office, KPMG LLP launched a national Meatless Monday Challenge at all 80 U.S. offices, reaching thousands of employees.
The initiative encouraged New York office partners and employees to opt into a 12-week Meatless Monday Challenge. The challenge kicked off with a webcast that included information on the environmental and health benefits of plant-based eating, and practical nutrition advice. Employees could ask questions about the basic principles of Meatless Monday and plant-based eating.
Participants who signed up received a weekly email that included information on the environmental benefits of eating less meat. The challenge was promoted via multiple company communication channels and offered prize incentives to participants. The team focused on developing a community around the challenge so that participants could share their experiences, learn from seasoned meatless eaters, and receive tips that fostered more self-confidence in eating meatless.
Participants were sent a pre- and post-survey to better understand how their views of plant-based eating, and their knowledge of the health and environmental impacts of eating less meat, changed over the duration of the program.
“Our Meatless Monday Challenge gave our KPMG professionals an opportunity to see what eating meatless is all about in a communal environment. It supported our goal of engaging employees in practical sustainable living actions and helped participants learn more about the environmental and health benefits of eating more plant-based meals.” Bryce Ehrhardt, Managing Director at KPMG U.S.
