The BBC has introduced a Meat Free Monday at its headquarters in the north of England. The canteen serving its MediaCity complex in Salford will now serve veggie fare only at the start of the week, in the name of creating a leaner, cleaner and greener world.
However, employees were said to be angry at the decision and reported to have organised a petition after receiving a memo about the change. BBC bosses said the decision to ask chefs at the BBC North canteen to “whip up some delicious meat free alternatives” was being made to improve the health of its workers as well as to protect the environment.
Despite reports of “collective outrage”, however, less than 10 per cent of MediaCity’s 2,300 staff appear to have signed the petition, and possibly only because they hadn’t read further than the first few lines of the memo. In it, the Beeb explained that while the canteen would be serving only meat free food on a Monday, staff not interested in giving MFM a try were still welcome to bring in their own food or buy it from elsewhere in MediaCity to eat in the canteen.
The move is a significant step in the right direction for any company, let alone such an eminent one as the BBC. Introducing MFM into the workplace is the same as introducing any other environmental policy, such as recycling or cutting back on food and water waste.
Explaining why it had joined MFM, the Beeb said: “To put it simply, it’s good for the environment. Skipping meat on the menu just for one day a week can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water use and land use. A plant-based diet often reduces the intake of saturated fat, animal hormones, and cholesterol while increasing the intake of fresh fruits and veggies. That has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.