Greener Meeting Catering - How-to-Do

To succeed, the whole team must be involved - from kitchen to booking and service. When employees understand why you choose plant-based dishes and can talk enthusiastically about taste, quality, and sustainability, it rubs off on your guests and makes the green solution a natural part of your concept.

Why It Matters

• Guests increasingly expect sustainable choices
• A motivated team creates a better experience - and makes the change sustainable
• Better health: plant-based dishes align with dietary guidelines, increase energy and support a healthier lifestyle
• Less climate emissions and a cleaner environment: more plants and less meat reduces your climate footprint and pressure on water systems
• More space for nature: less land used for animal production means more room for organic farming and biodiversity
• Plant-based catering reduces the climate footprint and strengthens your ESG goals

How to Get Started

Educate and Engage
Get the whole staff on board through workshops, tastings, and dialogue. Build knowledge, motivation, and ownership so employees can communicate the green experience to guests.

How to Do It

The Green Standard
Make plant-based the default choice - let meat be the optional extra. This increases the likelihood that guests will stick with the green choice.

Positive Communication
Focus on taste, freshness, and quality (rather than what’s not in the dish). Use appetizing descriptions and images. Avoid terms like “vegetarian/vegan/meat-free” unless necessary.

Collaboration and Goals
Set clear goals for the share of organic/plant-based options and follow up. Collect feedback systematically - but remember that a few skeptical voices can sometimes dominate the conversation.

The how-to-do guide was developed in collaboration with the Plant-based Knowledge Center with support from the Foundation for Plant-based Foods.