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Strategic Corporate Responsibility in the Food Chain

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  • Pasi Heikkurinen
  • Sari Forsman‐Hugg

Abstract

This paper explores how food chain responsibility can be connected to strategy. The aim is to identify how strategic corporate responsibility (CR) intentions are in the Finnish food chain and analyse how competitiveness could be enhanced and sustained with strategic CR. The theoretical framework is built on a contextual definition from a resource‐based view. A multiple case study method was deployed and the data were collected through 20 semi‐structured interviews. It was found that the case companies aim at increasing their chain's competitiveness with CR. The food chain responsibility can be connected to strategy with varying depth and breadth. This results in four types of strategic CR combinations, namely: beyond‐responsive & holistic; beyond‐responsive & arrowhead; responsive & holistic; and responsive & arrowhead. The strategic CR combination that is rare, inimitable, and for which competitors cannot find substitutes, can yield a sustained competitive advantage and above‐normal economic performance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Pasi Heikkurinen & Sari Forsman‐Hugg, 2011. "Strategic Corporate Responsibility in the Food Chain," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(5), pages 306-316, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:18:y:2011:i:5:p:306-316
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.257
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    5. Reis, G.G. & Heidemann, M.S. & Goes, H.A.A. & Molento, C.F.M., 2021. "Can radical innovation mitigate environmental and animal welfare misconduct in global value chains? The case of cell-based tuna," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Sue Hornibrook & Claire May & Andrew Fearne, 2015. "Sustainable Development and the Consumer: Exploring the Role of Carbon Labelling in Retail Supply Chains," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 266-276, May.
    7. Marco Lerro & Riccardo Vecchio & Francesco Caracciolo & Stefano Pascucci & Luigi Cembalo, 2018. "Consumers' heterogeneous preferences for corporate social responsibility in the food industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1050-1061, November.
    8. Verónica León‐Bravo & Antonella Moretto & Raffaella Cagliano & Federico Caniato, 2019. "Innovation for sustainable development in the food industry: Retro and forward‐looking innovation approaches to improve quality and healthiness," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(5), pages 1049-1062, September.
    9. Seyed Amir Nasri & Behdad Ehsani & Seyed Javad Hosseininezhad & Nasser Safaie, 2023. "A sustainable supplier selection method using integrated Fuzzy DEMATEL–ANP–DEA approach (case study: Petroleum Industry)," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(11), pages 12791-12827, November.
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