CSR for Channel Relationships in the Food Sector: Evidence from Italian SME Manufacturers

This paper is focused on the relationships between large retailers and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food sector. A supplier perspective was adopted in the analysis of the large retailers’ role, by considering how CSR policies adopted by retailers affect manufacturers organization and strategies. The analysis has been based on a quantitative empirical research focused on the food sector, as a sector in which traceability, supplier’s coordination and control are critical to ensure the development of ethical supply chains. In the survey, a questionnaire was addressed to a sample of 89 Italian SME manufacturers to investigate the primary factors influencing retailer-supplier relationships in those cases in which CSR policies by large retailers are adopted. A limited diffusion of systematic and structured systems for CSR emerged among firms that have not developed significant relationships with large retailers.