Title: The influence of environmental and social sustainability practices on firms' performance: an empirical study of the dairy product sector in Goiás (Brazil)

Authors: Francisco Almeida; Mário Franco; Isak Kruglianskas

Addresses: Unit Distance Education, EGESI – Research Group of Management Strategic, Education and Information Technology, University State of Goiás, Rua Firmo de Velasco 1165, 75024-010 Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil ' Department of Management and Economics, NECE – Research Unit in Business Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal ' FEA – Department of Administration, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908 – Sala E-194, 05508-010 – Cidade Universitária, São Paulo/SP, Brazil

Abstract: Environmental and social sustainability have been major social and political issues in recent times. This study aims to analyse the relationship between governments' socio-environmental policies and firms' economic and socio-environmental performance. To achieve this main objective, a questionnaire was designed and addressed to the CEOs of firms producing dairy products in Goiás, Brazil. We used the multiple regression method to select a number of significant variables that influence the economic and socio-environmental performance of enterprises in the sample. From the results, we concluded that the adoption of some environmental and social sustainability practices influences entrepreneurial performance. Our study also sheds light on the multifaceted aspects of environmental strategy, which has extraordinary social, cultural and ecological diversity. Several implications and recommendations for managers, practitioners, government policy-makers and other stakeholders are presented.

Keywords: sustainable development; environmental policy; environmental sustainability; social sustainability; firm performance; dairy products; Brazil; government policy; economic performance; socio-environmental performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2014.065324

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.17 No.4, pp.327 - 347

Received: 12 Oct 2011
Accepted: 15 Aug 2012
Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

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