Lasostenibilitachenutrel%e2%80%99agrifood.jpg)
In recent decades, the agri-food sector has undergone a profound transformation: from a focus on food safety and traceability to a model that integrates quality, environmental protection , social responsibility, and economic stability . This process has been driven by regulatory developments , the push for voluntary standards , and growing market awareness .
Today, however, this process requires a leap in cultural maturity. In public debate, sustainability is often associated with a duty to be fulfilled or, conversely, an image enhancement. In reality, in the context of the European Green Deal , reporting obligations, and the ban on greenwashing, sustainability takes on a political as well as industrial dimension . It is no longer an optional choice: it is a criterion for accessing markets , financial resources, and—increasingly—the very social legitimacy of business.
Sustainability thus becomes a strategic infrastructure , capable of impacting governance models, industrial policies, and the competitiveness of the agri-food sector. When perceived merely as a requirement, sustainability risks becoming a cost. However, if it is embraced as a strategic choice, it becomes a competitive lever.
The challenge is to find the balance between these three pillars, moving beyond a mindset of mere compliance with the rules. To do so, an evolutionary step is necessary: integrating sustainability into decision-making, planning, and management processes . In other words, making it part of the "metabolism" of the company and the supply chain. In the agri-food sector, the company's scope is not enough: sustainability is a supply chain issue.
Governance is the essential element of any sustainability strategy. Planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting are the methodological pillars; while objectives, indicators, and requirements form the heart of the project.
[…]
The agri-food sector is a pioneer in this area . Numerous voluntary standards define the sustainability of production, while other, more innovative, standards also define it at the company and even regional level. These experiences demonstrate how the sector can anticipate legislators and present itself as a unified force on global markets.
A significant cultural shift is represented by Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 on PDO/PGI products , which for the first time grants protection consortia an explicit institutional role in the sustainability and development of food and wine tourism in geographical indication areas. This represents a paradigm shift : sustainability becomes an element of territorial identity and systemic competitiveness.
[…]
By Maria Chiara Ferrarese
Source: Formiche