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DefaultVeg Impact and Adopters

Through the work of the Better Food Foundation, our volunteers and ambassadors, and the partner organizations we have incubated and supported to advance plant-based defaults, more than 500 institutions, businesses, and organizations now use DefaultVeg strategies to nudge diners to choose plant-based foods.

Through subtle but powerful menu shifts, adopters are drastically cutting their carbon footprints and helping kickstart a healthier, more inclusive food system!

To achieve scale, we’ve helped more than 30 advocacy groups take up this strategy as part of their own campaigns for inclusive, healthy, and climate-friendly food. We ask advocates to not require that institutions use the DefaultVeg brand, as we want adopters to implement this powerful strategy in the way that best fits their organization’s and community’s culture. The following list of adopters reflects our current understanding of when our advocacy work has led to meaningful changes in the reduction of animal products served.

The key describes the type of plant-based nudge used, and the nonprofit organizations involved in the work.

Cities

To learn more about our work in cities, visit DefaultVeg in Cities.

  • Austin, Texas Office of Sustainability (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, PS]
  • Denver, Colorado City Council (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Denver, Colorado Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Council (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Denver, Colorado Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Denver, Colorado Parks and Recreation (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Edinburgh, Scotland (Plant-Forward Policy) [PBT]
  • Los Angeles County, California (Plant-Forward Policy) [MFA, GBD, B]
  • San Diego, California (Plant-Forward Policy) [BFF]
  • Washington, DC (Plant-Forward Policy) [FOE]
  • West Hollywood, CA (Plant-Based Default) [MFA]

Coffee Shops

To learn more about our work in coffee shops, visit DefaultVeg Coffee Shops.

  • Caribou Coffee Seasonal Menus (Plantmilk Default) [MFA]
  • Colorado College (Pricing) [BFF]
  • Cornell University (Plantmilk Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Erasmus University (Plantmilk Default)
  • Guilder Cafe, Portland, Oregon (Plantmilk Default) [BFF]
  • LinkedIn San Francisco Corporate Cafe (Plantmilk Default, Pilot) [BFF, GBD]
  • Pitzer College, Grove House (Plantmilk Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Pomona College, Cafe 47 (Plantmilk Default, Pilot) [BFF, NRI]
  • Sa-Ten, Austin, Texas (Plantmilk Default, Pilot) [BFF, PS]
  • Saint Mary’s College of California (Plantmilk Default) [BFF, GBD]
  • Starbucks Seasonal Menus (Plantmilk Default on seasonal menus) [MFA]
  • University College London (Plantmilk Default) [BFF]
  • University of San Diego, Aromas Cafe (Plantmilk Default, Pilot, Pricing) [BFF, NRI]

Corporate Adoptions

  • Beyond Investing (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • DC Harvest, Washington, DC (Ingredient Swap) [BFF, DCVFA]
  • Good Eating Company (Plant-Based Default) [GBD]
  • Jay Peak Resort, Jay, VT (Menu Redesign) [BFF, PBCM]
  • LinkedIn San Francisco Corporate Cafeteria (See also the plantmilk default at LinkedIn, above) (Plant-Based Default, Pilot) [GBD]
  • Target, 2023 commercial production shoots (Ratio) [BFF]

Conferences and Events

All events have adopted DefaultVeg on an ongoing basis unless a specific year is noted.

  • American Humanist Association, World Humanist Conference, Summer 2020 (Event) [BFF]
  • American Lung Association, Lung Force Expo, November 2019 (Event) [BFF]
  • B Corps Champions Retreat (Event) [BFF, GBD]
  • Bruin Model UN Conference, 2023 (Event) [BFF, GBD, NRI]
  • Cheshire West and Chester for the Climate Emergency Consultation Event, 2019 (Event) [CK]
  • CleanMed Conference, hosted by Practice Greenhealth and Healthcare Without Harm (Event) [BFF, GBD]
  • Conservation Council ACT Region, 2020 Online Spring Dinner (Event) [BFF]
  • Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition and George Washington University Global Food Institute, The Future of Federal Food Purchasing: Transforming Policy & Practice, 2024 (Event) [BFF]
  • GreenBiz annual conferences (Event) [BFF, GBD]
  • Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Rising Stars in Cell Biology, 2022 (Event) [BFF]
  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, The Big Green, 2019 (Event) [BFF]
  • Rotary International Singapore Event, 2022 (Event) [BFF]
  • Society for Jewish Ethics Annual Conference (Event) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council 2023 Summit (Event) [BFF]
  • UK Common Awards, 2019 (Event) [CK]
  • University of Pennsylvania, Material Secularisms Workshop, 2020 Conference (Event) [BFF]
  • University of Virginia, Food Law Student Leadership Summit (Event) [BFF]
  • Washington and Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (Event) [BFF]
  • World Humanist Conference, 2020 (Event) [BFF]

Hospitals

  • All 11 New York City Health+Hospitals, including Bellevue Hospital Center, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Harlem Hospital Center, Jacobi Medical Center, Kings County Hospital Center, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Metropolitan Hospital Center, North Central Bronx Hospital, Queens Hospital Center, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital, and Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, GBD]
  • Vancouver General Hospital (Plant-Based Default, Pilot) [GBD]

Nonprofit Organizations

  • American Humanist Association (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • ClimateNexus (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Endangered Habitats League (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Friends of the Earth (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Global Forest Coalition (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • New York Public Interest Research Group (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Planned Parenthood, Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Public Justice Food Project (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Reboot (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Spirit Rock Retreat Center (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Susanna Wesley Foundation (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Union Rescue Mission (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • US Climate Action Network (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Washtenaw County Democratic Party (Plant-Based Default) [VM]

Religious Institutitions

Learn more about our faith-based work on our Faith in Food page.

  • Avodah, National (Plant-Based Default) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Beth Chayim Chadashim, Los Angeles, CA (Plant-Based Default) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, National (Plant-Based Default) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo, CA (Plant-Based Default) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Saint Mellitus Northwest (Church of England), London, UK (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • SketchPad, Chicago, IL, (Plant-Based Default) [JIFA, BFF]
  • Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, UK(Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Society for the Study of Theology, UK (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Theology and Religious Studies UK (Plant-Based Default) [CK]

College and University Dining

To learn more about our work in universities, visit DefaultVeg in Universities.

  • ~400 Sodexo-operated dining halls in North America (Location, Ratio) [BFF, FCL]
  • Claremont McKenna College’s The Hub (Ratio, Ingredient Swap) [BFF, NRI]
  • Cornell University (Ingredient Swap) [BFF]
  • Erasmus University (Event) [BFF]
  • Franklin and Marshall dining hall (Menu Redesign) [BFF, NRI]
  • Lehigh University (Plant-Based Default, Pilot) [BFF, FCL]
  • Northwestern’s 847 Burger in Norris Student Center (Menu Redesign) [BFF]
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Plant-Based Default, Pilot) [BFF, FCL]
  • Tulane University (Plant-Based Default, Pilot) [BFF, FCL]
  • University of Victoria (Ingredient Swap, Menu Redesign) [BFF, CUI]
  • Victoria College at University of Toronto (Menu Redesign) [BFF]
  • Wagner College (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]

University Offices and Clubs

  • Harry S. Truman College, Truman Environmental Club (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Harry S. Truman College, Phi Theta Kappa: Nu Lambda Chapter (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Harvard University, Food Law & Policy Clinic (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Harvard University, Office for Sustainability (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Lancaster University, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Lewis and Clark College, Earth Rise (Plant-Based Default) [GBD]
  • Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • New York University, Animal Welfare Collective (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Anthropozine (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Community Agriculture Project (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Effective Altruism Student Organization (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Environmental Law Journal (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Future Fashion Group Student Organization (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Mind, Ethics, and Policy Program (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Office of Sustainability (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Office of the Provost (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Student Government (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • New York University, Wild Animal Welfare Program (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Northwestern University, Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, Indivisible Northwestern (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, School of Communications, Media Technology & Society Program (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, School of Education and Social Policy Leadership Institute (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, Student Government (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Northwestern University, Tour Guide Office (Plant-Based Default) [BFF]
  • Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (Plant-Based Default) [PBT]
  • Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Pitzer College, Environmental Analysis Field Group (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Presidio Graduate School (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Stanford Introductory Studies (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Stanford Prevention Research Center (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • University of Chester, Department of English (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Chester, Department of Modern Languages (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Chester, Department of Performing Arts (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Chester, Department of Theology and Religious Studies (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Chester, Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Chester, Faculty of Social Sciences (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Durham, Centre for Catholic Studies (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Durham, CODEC Research Centre (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • University of Leeds, School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science (Plant-Based Default) [CK]
  • Washington University in St. Louis, Office of Sustainability (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • Western Washington University, Huxley College of the Environment (Plant-Based Default) [BFF, NRI]
  • York St. John University, School of Humanities, Religion and Philosophy (Plant-Based Default) [CK]

Sustainability Guides and Trainings Recommending DefaultVeg

  • Bryant Research: “Institutional Change: A Guide to Maximizing Farmed-Animal Welfare Through Effective Institutional Change”
  • Center for Biological Diversity: “Catering to the Climate: How Earth-Friendly Menus at Events can Help Save the Planet” and “Making City Food Policies Earth-Friendly”
  • Center for Good Food Purchasing: “Purchasing Standards 3.0”
  • CreatureKind: “DefaultVeg Toolkit”
  • Directors Guild of America: “Sustainability Guidelines”
  • Earth Angel Sustainable Production Services: “Internal Guidelines for Clients”
  • EcoSet: internal guidelines for clients
  • Environmental Law Institute: “Toolkit for Incorporating Plant-Based Protein Measures in Municipal Climate Action Plans”
  • Farm Forward: “Institutional Food Policy Guide,” “Farmed Animal Protection Movement Report,” and “Change Your Diet Guide”
  • Food for Climate League: “2024 Trends in Climate-Smart Eating”
  • Good Food Institute: “2022 State of the Industry Report”
  • Green Spark Group: internal guidelines for clients
  • Green the Bid: “Catering Resources” and “In Office Practices”
  • Harvard University Office for Sustainability: “Sustainable Meeting and Events Guide”
  • HBO & Max Original Productions: internal training
  • Humane Society of the United States: “Protein Sustainability Scorecard”
  • International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems: “Fall 2023 Report”
  • Jewish Initiative for Animals: “Bringing DefaultVeg to Your Synagogue”
  • Mercy For Animals: “2024 Choose Veg Earth Day Report”
  • Producers Guild of America: “Green Production Guide”
  • Paramount Global: internal guidelines for clients
  • Plant Based Foods Association: “State of the Marketplace”
  • Plant Based Treaty: “Playbooks of Best Practices”
  • Reverb: “Music Climate Revolution Resources: Artists & Tours”
  • Sustainable San Mateo County: “Sustainability Ideas Bank”
  • University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education: “Staff Sustainability Guide”
  • World Animal Protection: “Moving the Menu 2024″
  • World Resources Institute: “Food Service Playbook for Promoting Sustainable Food Choices”

Now it’s your turn. If you’d consider joining these institutions by implementing DefaultVeg in your restaurant, cafeteria, catering orders, or conference, take our quick quiz to get a customized, simple DefaultVeg plan that can get you started right away.

DefaultVeg By the Numbers

1,815,000

meals impacted/year

500+

institutions using plant-based nudges

37%

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 888,000 kg of carbon dioxide

34%

reduction in water footprint, or 21,000,000 gallons of water

Key

Type of Plant-Based Nudge Used:

  • (Plant-Based Default): Diners receive plant-based food by default and must actively opt in to receive animal products
  • (Plantmilk Default): Changes to cafe menus, such as plantmilk served by default in beverages (with dairy milk available on request), the removal of a dairy default, or an upcharge for dairy milk added
  • (Event): Plant-based foods offered as the default option at an event such as a conference or party, either through the registration form or where meals are served
  • (Ingredient Swap): Plant-based ingredients (e.g. egg, milk, mayo) swapped in to baked goods and/or prepared dishes throughout menu, increasing accessibility to plant-based diners
  • (Ratio): Plant-based meals are more than 50% (ideally more than 70% for greatest impact) of offerings
  • (Menu Redesign): Menu is redesigned using nudges like putting plant-based items at the top of the menu, giving plant-based meals more appealing names, or offering plant-based meals as specials
  • (Location): Plant-based foods placed in most visible locations, such as the front of a buffet
  • (Pilot): Plant-based defaults or other nudges implemented as part of a pilot or research project
  • (Plant-Forward Policy): Office, department or community passes policy pledging to shift toward plant-based ingredients and reduce animal products
  • (Pricing): Removal of upcharge for plant-based ingredients (e.g. oatmilk, plant-based meat) and/or adding an upcharge for animal products

Advocacy Nonprofits Involved (all have received training, collaboration, or support from DefaultVeg):