Three recent employment tribunal decisions on what is a ‘philosophical belief’ protected from discrimination by the EqA.

As employment tribunal decisions, these are not binding precedents.

• Ethical veganism was held to be a philosophical belief in Costa v The League Against Cruel Sports www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions/mr-j-casamitjana-costa-v-the-league-against-cruel-sports-3331129-2018; but
• vegetarianism was not in Conisbee v Crossley Farms www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions/mr-g-conisbee-v-crossley-farms-ltd-and-others-3335357-2018; and
• nor was a belief that gender could not be changed in Forstater v CGD Europe www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions/maya-forstater-v-cgd-europe-and-others-2200909-2019, understood to be subject to an appeal to the EAT. (Update: on appeal the EAT has reversed the Forstater decision: see Gender reassignment: Beliefs on transgender issues).

More: Race and religion or belief>Meaning of ‘religion or belief’.