Transition of Food Systems Business Models and Sustainable Performance: The Story of a Family Firm

The aim of this work is to present a horizontal analysis of an interesting case study in order to explain the increase of awareness on sustainability issues, over time, inside the company, and how and when this has had an impact on enhancing ESG performance and stakeholder engagement in the ecological transition process. Moreover, this evolution is analysed through the trend of financial performances of the whole company trying to identify if there is an impact on financial performances as well. The work falls within the research strand of accounting for sustainability and, in particular, within the gaps in the literature on the lack of studies that investigate in deep how the increasing of sustainability consciousness could increase the ESG performance and then the financial one. The case study focused on a family firm that produces grain and its derivatives in the north of Italy. The research activity is based on official document analysis and website’s examination. The selected case represents a best practice in the food industry as over the years the company has integrated its supply chain downstream and promoted a diversification of activities away from the original feed business, also including start-ups and corporate research laboratories.