The role of the focal company in sustainable development goals: A Brazilian food poultry supply chain case study

Abstract

Abstract Food supply chains face challenges of sustainable supply chain management, such as waste management and environmental issues. Vertical integration or system integration is a corporate strategy for chicken production managed by the focal company. This research study discusses the role of the focal company for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in a Brazilian food poultry supply chain. The research consisted of a single case study with the following steps: literature review, identification of the gaps, concepts synthesis, and case study. The findings indicated theoretical and empirical guidelines for SDGs. The literature review indicated the relevance of exploring some approaches to achieve sustainable supply chain management: corporate social responsibility, green supply chain management, industrial ecology, stakeholder theory, circular economy (reduce, reuse, and recycle with economic prosperity), and sustainability science. The focal company plays a strategic role in the vertical integration operation of the Brazilian poultry supply chain. The case study findings indicate the role of the focal company toward the actors, including the feed mill supplier, live poultry transport, poultry processor, rendering plant, and distributor. However, much remains to be accomplished to answer the question “how to be sustainable?“, especially in environmental and social issues involving all actors in the poultry supply chain. The Brazilian environmental legislation still needs to be revised to be aligned with SDGs because the legislation will not guarantee sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The critical issues and challenges are radical changes in business models, measurement of supply chain impacts, collaboration and network picturing, corporate social responsibility versus supply chain responsibility, stakeholder engagement, frameworks to implement SDGs, education about SDGs and public participation, and food supply chain integrated system forums.