Environmental, Social, and Governance principles in meatpacking companies: addressing sustainability tensions in the swine and poultry industry
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines how the adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators by meatpacking companies in the swine and poultry sector contributes to mitigating sustainability tensions, while revealing key challenges and opportunities. A multiple case study was conducted using primary data from 203 questionnaires administered to integrated producers in southern Brazil and secondary data from sustainability reports published between 2018 and 2022 by two major integrating companies in the region. The results indicate that ESG indicators help mitigate sustainability tensions but also reveal emerging challenges (e.g., decoupled management, territorial degradation, cognitive dissociation, conflicting strategic priorities, asymmetries of interest between producers and firms, and an instrumental approach to sustainability). The study highlights the effectiveness of ESG indicators in promoting sustainability within the swine and poultry supply chain while emphasizing the need for integrated approaches to address these tensions, providing empirical evidence and practical insights to overcome sustainability-related challenges in the sector.
Source: Cadernos EBAPE BR
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7203602983