That is a great question!
Honey is decidedly not part of the ethical vegan diet. Because we are plant-based and not vegan “is it nice to animals” isn’t a deciding factor for us. It is a nice extra bonus. That said, if you are on vegan forums, honey is a VERY divisive topic!
Honey is “empty” calories although better than table sugar because there are some allergy related benefits.
We made the choice that honey is a sweetener we use sparingly (mostly I put it in tea). Those with stronger ethical feelings or adhering tightly to the “no calories without nutrition” idea of being whole-food plant-based would make a different choice.
We also use maple syrup in many recipes.