London (CNN) A vegan sacked by his employer is bringing a landmark legal case to a British court on Thursday, hoping to change the law to ensure that veganism is considered a protected "philosophical belief" similar to religion.

Jordi Casamitjana, an "ethical vegan," claims he was dismissed by animal welfare charity League Against Cruel Sports in April 2018 because he informed colleagues that their employer's pension fund was "being invested in companies that experiment on animals" and non-ethical funds -- a claim the charity has rejected.

But before challenging his former employer over his firing, Casamitjana is hoping to force a change to Britain's Equality Act that would see veganism included as a philosophical belief protected from discrimination.

A two-day case began in Norwich, England on Thursday.

The law, passed in 2010, defines "religion or belief" as one of the nine "protected characteristics," which include race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, making it unlawful for employers to discriminate on those grounds.

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