Program overview: A major global bank instituted a Meatless Monday program in its cafeteria as part of a broader company-wide wellness and sustainability initiative.
Objective: To help employees adopt healthier and more sustainable eating habits and gain experience with plant-based meals, starting with Meatless Monday.
Process: Keeping employees healthy and focused is paramount to the success of any major corporation, many of which have directed more time and resources to their wellness departments. For example, a major global bank used Meatless Monday to offer its employees an easy way to reduce their meat consumption and try a more plant-focused diet. The program served creative plant-based meals in its cafeteria and used signage to promote the health and environmental benefits of eating less meat.
Every Monday, the cafeteria at the company’s New York City headquarters offered a variety of plant-based meals that were marketed onsite and via company communication channels. The program included a scalable foodservice “playbook” for company cafeterias nationwide. Employees received recipes, cooking tips, and marketing resources through the organization’s wellness program.
Outcome: To expand the program’s reach and optimize the use of time and resources, the bank’s culinary and dietary teams created a Meatless Monday playbook that included bulk recipes, cooking tips, and promotional materials. These were sent to company foodservice teams nationwide so they could implement similar programs in their cafeterias. The sustainability and wellness departments provided additional plant-based recipes, information on health and environmental benefits, and culinary tips while promoting Meatless Monday throughout the year.
The program succeeded by promoting the benefits of plant-based meals both in the cafeteria and across employee wellness channels. Also, piloting the plant-based menus in a large foodservice setting helped organizers understand customer needs and foodservice team requirements.
