Fact3's response to the landmark ethical veganism case

We’re barely half way through January, but a
major employment change has already been announced. 

We’re talking about the landmark case resulting in ethical veganism being
declared a philosophical belief.

Veganism in the UK

According the UK Vegan Society the number of vegans in Great
Britain quadrupled between 2014 and 2019. In 2019 there were 600,000 vegans in
the UK.  The sign-ups for the Veganuary
campaign - where people eat vegan for the month of January - nearly doubled in
2019, with a whopping 250,000 people signing up. In comparison, there were
168,500 participants in 2018 and just 59,500 in 2017.  There’s no doubt veganism is rapidly on the rise. 

A survey commissioned by employment law specialists, Crossland Employment Solicitors, has revealed prejudiced attitudes towards vegan workers is endemic amongst UK employers.  Researchers conducting the study found that nearly half (45%) of 1,000 vegan employees questioned have felt discriminated against by employers, while nearly a third (31%) have felt harassed at work or unfairly treated due to their veganism*

*Food and Living Vegan - May 2019 https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/nearly-half-of-vegans-feel-discriminated-against-by-employers/

Fact3 will continue to stay informed on the matter, and we’ll provide advice to individual clients based on your specific circumstances. 

If you have further questions about how the
ethical veganism ruling affects you as an employer say Hello@fact3.co.uk 

The Ruling

Ethical veganism is now a philosophical
belief. The ruling itself is not a change in the law, but it means an ethical
belief in veganism is now a protected characteristic under the Equality Act
2010 which protects individuals from unfair treatment on the basis of sex,
race, disability or beliefs and promotes a fair and more equal society.

It should be noted, that choosing to be Vegan for dietary reasons does not
count as a philosophical belief under the new ruling.  Ethical veganism means the person’s lifestyle
and choices are shaped by their desire to avoid cruelty and suffering to
animals at all practical costs.

What it means for you

The impact on UK business is fairly straightforward.  Fostering a working
environment and recruitment processes free of discrimination is nothing
new.  Changes are only expected to be fair, reasonable and in accordance with the context you’re operating your business.  So you don’t need to throw out
every office chair made of leather, but there are simple and impactful changes
you can action now.

Here are a few that we’ve seen clients
successfully implement as the popularity of Veganism has risen:

●     Review all discrimination policies to ensure ethical veganism is included.

●     Communicating the change with staff, if only to avoid unintended ‘banter’.

●     Finding out what percentage of your workforce are vegan and take action accordingly.  This could be stocking work fridges with dairy free alternatives to milk, or ensuring vegan staff are properly catered for at staff events.