Sustainable Development in Liege's Red Meat Value Network : an Exploratory Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Context: We are in a period in which businesses’ responsibilities have been extended beyond simply financial returns, hence, including also environmental and social performances. Managers then must deal with a broader set of stakeholders and further account for the Triple Bottom Line outcomes throughout the entire value network they operate in. The high pressures faced by the red-meat industry in the sustainability debate and the economic relevance of the subsector in Liege’s basin makes it relevant to observe when analyzing sustainability practices. Objectives: The purpose of this thesis is to build an industry-wide diagnosis of the sustainability-oriented practices employed by the actors of Liege’s red meat value network. Methodology: We perform semi-structured interviews designed to collect each participant’s practices implemented in response to the identified issues faced in the sector on the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The sample consists of 7 actors operating at 4 different stages of the chain to have an acceptable overview of the sector. The majority of the interviewed actor are industrial processors. Findings: Most traditional methods and processes employed in the Walloon red meat industry positively contribute to the sustainability of the sector. Nevertheless, the network has displayed slow progress in terms of innovativeness and proactivity to enhance their long-run sustainability.