Monash University's Faculty of Arts will serve only vegetarian meals at all future events, in a bid to become more climate friendly.

Dean of Arts Katie Stevenson said the impetus for the change—which includes catering at all staff, student, industry and alumni meetings—is backed by research.

“Scientific research is clear that one of the most impactful steps an individual can take to reduce our environmental impact is to eat less meat and seafood,” Professor Stevenson said.

“We are looking at our own practices and taking corporate responsibility for our environmental impact," she said.

The action aims to help meet Monash University’s 2030 Climate Change Agenda targets.

“Individuals retain their right to eat whatever they wish, but our position is that if the university is arranging or providing catering, we will do so without meat or seafood,” Prof Stevenson said.

No other faculties at Monash are completely vegetarian with events catering.

Monash Student Association (MSA) president Sebastian Schultz has welcomed the change.

“The MSA commends the Faculty of Arts on its decision, which helps foreground sustainability and promotes climate literacy to the university community,” Mr Schultz said.

The student association has been operating its own vegetarian policy since 2022, he said.

“The MSA urges other organisations to consider adopting similar sustainable and ethical practices in an effort to reduce corporate carbon footprints.”

Fourth-year arts and business student Sabrina To said the change is positive.

“To students, free food is still free food—regardless of whether it has meat or not,” Ms To said.

“If this is making event catering more inclusive and accessible to vegetarian students and helping the environment, I think that’s a good thing.”

Ms To, who is secretary of the Monash Media and Communications Society, and said the change won’t negatively impact its own events.

“Most of our events are vegetarian anyway, so this would not be a hard change to make for us.”

Monash Arts has joined a wide range of global and local organisations, companies and groups going vegetarian-only with catering.

For example, in 2018 American company WeWork announced it would no longer reimburse staff for non-vegetarian meals. Since then, many companies have incorporated more vegan and vegetarian catered food options.