Title: Barriers to the adoption of sustainable standards by consumer goods companies: a conceptual model

Authors: Denise De Abreu Sofiatti Dalmarco; Kavita Miadaira Hamza

Addresses: School of Economics, Business and Accounting, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908, sala E204 – Butantã, São Paulo – SP, 05508-010, Brazil ' School of Economics, Business and Accounting, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908, sala E204 – Butantã, São Paulo – SP, 05508-010, Brazil

Abstract: Sustainable standards are a potential way to leverage sustainable production, but there are several barriers to their adoption on a larger scale. Several of these barriers are already known, but to date, no study has sought to consolidate them. To fill this gap, we conducted fifteen interviews with Brazilian managers of consumer goods companies, certification/standardisation bodies, and suppliers of raw materials. The analysis resulted in a consolidated table of barriers and a conceptual model that establishes the relationships between different stakeholders and the respective barriers. We found that consumer goods companies face barriers that are mainly related to their relationships with suppliers and standardisation bodies, in addition to internal issues. Our study contributes to a better understanding of how the corporate environment takes into account sustainable standards and can be useful to distinct stakeholders.

Keywords: sustainable supply chain management; marketing management; sustainable labels; VSSLs; voluntary sustainability standards and labels; barriers; stakeholders.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2022.119257

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2022 Vol.16 No.1, pp.82 - 108

Accepted: 01 Dec 2020
Published online: 30 Nov 2021 *

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