6 Workplace Ideas to Celebrate World Vegan Day And Key Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

Are you considering going vegan? If you are, World Vegan Day on November 1st is the perfect time to do it!

World Vegan Day is celebrated to promote the benefits of a plant-based diet. As people are turning towards plant-based diets, the demand for animal products has decreased, leading to an increase in the animal agriculture industry's supply, causing prices to drop.

Corporate leaders are finding that incorporating plant-based options into their menus improves employee productivity and satisfaction while reducing their carbon footprint.

Suppose you're looking to improve your company's wellness program; it’s important to note that the benefits of a vegan diet are far more than just a healthier lifestyle.

History of World Vegan Day

November 1st is celebrated as World Vegan Day, a great kickoff day to start World Vegan Month.

In 1994, it was first celebrated to commemorate the UK Vegan Society's golden jubilee and honor the term "vegan," coined by Donald Watson. In November 1944, The Vegan Society was founded.

Veganism is thought to have existed for almost 2000 years, whereas vegetarianism predated veganism by 500 years. Pythagoras, a famous Greek mathematician and philosopher advocated for being kind to all living things. Buddhists, like many others, practice vegetarianism and never intentionally kill an animal.

Veganism at the Workplace

Vegan alternatives to meat and animal products are becoming more common in society. Veganism started as a simple dietary choice for those who don't want to eat animal products. It is now a major movement that impacts people's health and the environment.

Vegan Leaders in Corporate Management (VLCM) is an organization that helps to facilitate this culture shift in major organizations. VLCM is a platform that mobilizes influential vegans working in large corporations and supports them in adopting plant-based initiatives.

Darina Bockman, Senior Finance Director, Global Projects & Information Systems at commercial real estate services business CBRE in San Diego, California, established it in 2014.

"Flexitarianism" is a diet that allows meat consumption but focuses mostly on vegetables and organic products. This diet is popular among beginners as it is less restrictive than a purely vegetarian or vegan diet.

Difference between Vegan and Vegetarian Food

According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian does not consume meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, or byproducts of animal slaughter. Vegetarian diets vary in proportions: fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Your diet determines the amount of dairy, honey, and eggs you consume.

The most common types of vegetarians include:

• Lacto-Ovo: vegetarians who abstain from all animal meat while consuming dairy and egg products.
• Lacto vegetarians: vegetarians who do not consume animal flesh or eggs but do consume dairy products.
• Ovo vegetarians: vegetarians who forsake all animal products except eggs.
• Vegans: vegetarians who refrain from consuming any animal or animal-derived goods.

A vegan diet is the most rigorous form of vegetarianism. The Vegan Society now defines veganism as a lifestyle that tries to avoid all types of animal exploitation and suffering as much as possible.
As a result, a vegan diet eliminates not just animal meat but also dairy, eggs, and other animal-derived products. These are some examples:

• gelatin
• honey
• carmine
• pepsin
• shellac
• albumin
• whey
• casein
• some forms of vitamin D3

Suggested reading The 9 Best Healthy Foods To Eat Everyday.

7 Benefits of a Vegan Diet for Corporate Employees

Veganism is on the rise, and for a good reason. A plant-based diet has countless benefits for our health, the environment, and animals. More and more corporations are taking notice and offering vegan options to their employees.

Here are some great reasons to switch to a plant-based diet:

1. Improved Health

A vegan diet is naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber and antioxidants. It can lead to lower rates of heart disease, certain types of cancers, and diabetes. Also, vegan food naturally has higher levels of potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Vegan diets appear to include more iron. However, the type of iron found in plants is not as bioavailable — your body cannot absorb it as well as the version found in animal foods.

But, not all vegan diets are the same. Poorly designed vegan meals may not supply adequate nutrients. It becomes more difficult to track our calories when we go from an animal-based diet to eating a vegan diet.

It is because plant-based meals have fewer calories than animal-based ones. As a result, if you continue to eat in smaller quantities, your energy levels will decline dramatically.

Even if you follow a plant-based diet, you must ensure that you consume a proper 2000-calorie diet. You risk health concerns by not getting adequate nutrients and raise your chances of abandoning your vegan diet and returning to your previous habits.

You can adopt a vegan lifestyle as a corporate employee without missing out on essential nutrients. And pack a hassle-free lunch to enjoy at work.

2. Weight Loss

Many corporate employees are turning to plant-based diets to lose weight. While there is no guarantee that a vegan diet will result in weight loss, there may be some compelling reasons to give it a shot.

Many observational studies state that vegans are thinner and have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than non-vegans. People eating a low-fat, high-fiber vegan diet lose more weight than those eating a conventional low-fat diet.

Snack on a small handful of unsalted nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pistachios (watch your portions; nuts are high in calories).

3. Reduced Environmental Impact

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. A vegan diet requires far less land, water, and energy than a meat-based diet and can help reduce your company's carbon footprint.

Veganism also saves water worldwide. Gallons of water are used in agricultural production, with the meat and dairy industries accounting for one-quarter of total freshwater usage globally.

Raising animals requires a significant amount of energy. The energy emissions from generating feed, spreading fertilizers, breeding, power, and agricultural practices are massive. Animal protein is also estimated to consume eight times as much fossil fuel energy as plant protein.

By adopting veganism in your corporate wellness program, you can add "Vegan-friendly" and "Cruelty-free" to your company profile. It will showcase your company's contribution to the welfare of the environment.

4. Mindful Eating

A vegan diet is a more humane option if you care about animals. Factory farming is inhumane, and many animals are subjected to horrific conditions. You to enjoy delicious vegan food without harming animals.

Going vegan is one of the most effective ways to help put an end to animal suffering. You can help reduce animal suffering by not buying animal products, and it will help reduce demand, and fewer animals will be raised and killed on farms.

We relate many aspects of life with one another; veganism and mindfulness are two instances. Mindful living involves mindful eating, which requires awareness of what is on your plate. New vegans might benefit from mindfulness, encouraging people to know whether their behaviors, ideals, and thoughts are in sync.

For instance, a person may be sympathetic to animal abuse and exploitation but want to consume a highly processed meat product. Mindfulness can assist us in identifying and processing this mismatch of thoughts and behaviors.

5. Improved Productivity

A healthy diet helps improve focus, concentration, and energy levels. When employees are in their best health, they're more energetic.

It has been found that being vegan can increase your energy because your body doesn't have to use as much energy to digest food. Also, there are no additional sugar, saturated fats, or carbs that can slow you down.

Suggested reading 11 Tips to Overcome Post-Lunch Drowsiness at Work

So your employees will experience an increase in productivity, which will, in turn, benefit your organization.

6. Better Finance Management

Financial Wellness has a key role in your overall wellness. It entails spending within one's means and capabilities, saving for emergencies, making long-term plans, and being well-informed enough to make wise financial judgments.

Animal products are becoming increasingly expensive as their demand decreases, and plant-based options are a more affordable way to fill your plate.

Vegan meals require less prep time, which can help you save a lot on energy and gas. Fruits, vegetables, and fortified cereals from your local farmers' market and grocery store will cost you very little.

Also, keep in mind the immense benefits. Veganism will also enable you to save on food supplements and multivitamins. A healthy and fit workforce would allow companies to save quite a lot on health coverages.

Suggested read 6 Must-Haves in Your Financial Wellness Program

7. A Guilt-Free Diet

Vegans consume foods that enhance the health and well-being of animals, people, and the environment. Rainforests are flattened to grow cattle. Industrial farms contaminate rivers and lakes; overgrazing erodes arable land, and massive amounts of energy and water are squandered to raise animals for sustenance. Drift nets employed by the fishing industry transform acres of oceans into graveyards.

Knowing that you're not contributing to the suffering of animals is a great way to feel good about your food choices and feel a sense of mindfulness. It will create a strong bond with nature and inculcate a sense of spiritual wellness.

6 Ways to Celebrate World Vegan Day with your Employees

World Vegan Day can be a great opportunity to practice employee engagement and team bonding.

Here are some suggestions to help you enjoy a route to improved health, whether you're a long-time herbivore or a budding flexitarian!

1. Start an Outreach Activity

Try engaging in an outreach effort with your coworkers to encourage more people to go plant-based as a special way to raise awareness on World Vegan Day this year. You might either share your personal experience or educate others on the many benefits of being a vegan.

Suggested reading How A Corporate Health Coach Help In Employee Engagement

2. Support a Vegan Small Business

Several vegan businesses sell anything from plant-based meals to vegan fashion accessories and cosmetic goods. You can include companies that provide vegan and cruelty-free options in your employee reward system.

You may also read 5 Best Ways Rewards For Fitness Can Boost Participation in Employee Wellness Programs

3. Host a Vegan Potluck

You can host a "potluck" style buffet lunch where every coworker brings a vegan dish for all to share! A potluck is a good way to practice team bonding and employee engagement.

4. Volunteer at a Local Animal Rescue Center

You will be rescuing animals by avoiding meat and animal-derived items. However, visiting and potentially aiding an animal rescue group may widen your positive impact. Whether cleaning cow barns or walking abandoned dogs, helping animals goes hand in hand with the vegan mission.

So assimilate a handful of your employees willing to volunteer and serve the cause, which will strongly influence your firm's ideas.

5. Create Awareness of Vegan Nutrition

From the health advantages to the ethical reasons, employees already on the path of veganism can share their experiences and setbacks with others. Also, discuss the items that can substitute cruelty-free options and the necessary lifestyle changes.

6. Celebrate Meat-free Mondays

Initiate a day to instigate the cause of veganism among your employees to foster empathy, mindfulness, and employee wellness.

Meatless Monday is a simple notion that may significantly impact our health and the environment. The concept was initially proposed during World War I as a strategy to limit consumption to aid the war effort, and it was reintroduced in 2003 as a non-profit public health campaign.

Bottom Line

We love our planet, and it's the only one we've got! A vegan diet conserves water, mitigates the effects of climate change, prevents the extinction of endangered animal species, and preserves our environment' healthier.'

A vegan diet offers health benefits such as heart health; minimized risk of colon cancers, kidney failure, and Alzheimer’s disease. Thus introducing veganism into your corporate wellness program can be a great step for your employees.

It’ll keep you healthy and also make you feel closer to nature. It will enable you to give back to the world and stay mindful. A sense of spiritual wellness will eliminate all negativity and give your busy employees hope and purpose to perform their best at work.

So, if you're considering going vegan, World Vegan Day is the perfect time to do it. There are plenty of reasons to switch to a plant-based diet, so why not try?