Stories of Grobrix Impact
LinkedIn’s Food Programme: A Catalyst for Healthy and Sustainable Living
Fresh produce isn’t just great for the body; it’s also great for the environment and a powerful enabler of community engagement.
Driven by a belief in sustainability, wellness, and community, Grobrix is passionate about promoting a more sustainable way of living. We partner with lots of blue-chip companies to support their workplace wellness strategies and enhance employee engagement.
Natalie Hall, International Workplace Program Manager at LinkedIn, talked to us about her sustainability and wellness journey, and how Grobrix is making a difference in the lives of LinkedIn’s employees.
Grobrix has been specially built into LinkedIn’s pantry area in its APAC HQ
The collaboration between LinkedIn and Grobrix began when LinkedIn was exploring sustainability initiatives globally. “Mathew and Gareth visited our office and talked to us about Grobrix, and it really resonated with me—the passion they had and the fact that it was developed locally,” Natalie shares. The decision to trial Grobrix’s system was made, and the rest is history. “Employees love it. They love seeing the different items growing, and they know they can’t get any fresher salad than from the salad bar every Tuesday,” she adds.
Natalie is deeply passionate about sustainability and wellness. On a personal level, she believes it is important to leave the world in a better place than its currently in. While she sometimes feels her individual efforts might not make a big impact on their own, she believes that if everyone does just one small thing—like recycling—it can add up to a huge difference.
Her commitment to wellness extends to making informed choices about food. She enjoys chatting with local growers to learn more about what they’re selling, where it’s grown, and tries, where possible, to support local growers.
At LinkedIn, the Grobrix walls have become an integral part of the company’s efforts to engage employees. “We do lots of activations for our employees. Once a month, we have our ‘In Days,’ which are themed days at LinkedIn. We grow different herbs on the Grobrix walls, now we use them to make fresh tea – like mint tea or lemon balm, or whatever concoction people prefer with the herbs. We’re always looking for new and fun ideas of what we can try, and that’s part of the joy of running the food program.”
The impact of Grobrix on LinkedIn’s workplace has been really positive, and having Grobrix walls in the office further demonstrates that LinkedIn as an organization encourages employees to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
“We always get positive feedback. It’s hard to find anything not to like about the Grobrix walls. Growing on-site means we’re doing our bit for the environment—there’s minimal carbon footprint, and no chemical pesticides are used in the growing of produce.”
While the food program encourages more people to come into the office, the Grobrix movement is also about educating people and raising awareness about our food sources. “When the Grobrix team is on-site, we often get a lot of people coming in. They engage in the workshops and talks, learning about the different produce, health benefits, and more.”
“Grobrix ticks all the boxes for us. One of the key drivers of the food program is supporting local. It’s fresh, chemical-free, with no transport involved—you can’t get any fresher than having to walk literally 20 meters from where it’s harvested to being on the table. In terms of wellness, the Grobrix walls provide exactly the kind of green, nutritious food that aligns with our commitment to our employees’ health and well-being. Bonus: the walls look fantastic and are much more visually appealing than other vertical farming options we’ve seen.”
At Grobrix, we are proud to support companies like LinkedIn in their sustainability journey. With the right support and education, we believe that it is possible to drive meaningful change and build a more sustainable future together.
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