Today, the transition to a more sustainable model of the agro-food system is increasingly impellent, requiring all actors’ commitment. In particular, small and medium agro-food business (SMABs) play a decisive and central role in the food and economies of national and underdeveloped areas. Our study aims to identify, through desk research, the level of commitment and communication to the sustainability of SMABs operating in southern Italy. In this study, we followed the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) approach to implementing such a transition, using their principles as a diagnostic tool to interpret business operations. The data were analysed using two approaches: a regime analysis to assess which FAO principles are commonly followed to make the above transition possible, and an extension of the Abraham and Pingali (2020) framework to describe the commitment of SMABs to the Agenda 2030 goals with respect to the behaviour of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). We found that the SMABs’ behaviours are more oriented towards some FAO principles: those that explain their commitment to improving natural resources and livelihoods, fostering inclusive economic growth, and achieving sustainable development goal 7 of Agenda 2030 than towards others. The contribution of our study lies in providing detailed insights into sustainable actions taken by SMABs while testing the FAO’s principles as a new model to evaluate business operations.

The social dimension of sustainability in the agri-food sector is gaining more and more attention from both scholars and policymakers. In Europe, among different countries, Italy stood out for the active role played in including social conditionality in the Common Agricultural Policy. Despite such interest, there is still confusion concerning the concept of social sustainability, and tools aimed at measuring the social performance of farms are still lacking. The current study aims to identify indicators to measure the social sustainability of farm practices in the Italian agri-food system. The methodology included an analysis of the most relevant literature, legislation, and guidelines to identify five macro-areas of interest, which served as the foundation for developing theoretical social sustainability key performance indicators. The results of this study provide useful insights for both practitioners and policymakers to develop strategies and policies focused on social sustainability.

The transition from soft to hard law is reshaping global agri-food governance, particularly in relation to sustainability and corporate responsibility. This article analyzes this shift by examining two regulatory approaches: voluntary instruments such as the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and binding EU directives like the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Using a qualitative and interpretive methodology, the study combines a literature review and two case studies (Nicoverde and Lavazza) to explore the evolution from soft law to hard law and the synergies and analyze how these tools are applied in the Italian agri-food sector and how they can contribute to improving corporate sustainability performance. Findings show that soft law has paved the way for more rigorous regulation, but the increasing compliance burden poses challenges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These cases serve as virtuous examples to illustrate how soft and hard law interact in practice, offering concrete insights into the translation of general sustainability principles into corporate strategies. A hybrid governance framework—combining voluntary and binding tools—can foster sustainability if supported by coherent policies, stakeholder collaboration and adequate support mechanisms. The study offers practical insights for both companies and policymakers navigating the evolving legal scenario.

The agri-food sector is a strategic sector for Italy, fundamental to the Italian GDP (about 600 billion euros), but it is also one of the most sensitive and resilient sectors in the face of recent crises. In fact, ensuring that food reaches consumers in a safe, timely, and sustainable manner requires precise management of the supply chain. The pressures on the agri-food sector to source responsibly and sustainably in accordance with ESG criteria are increasing, especially in light of the growing awareness of ethical issues such as labor exploitation, animal welfare, and deforestation, according to the holistic One Health vision. Although the sector is subject to various risk factors, a controlled and quality supply chain, with a fair distribution of value, helps to keep the agri-food sector in step with global changes and consumer demands. Through several case studies, this work aims to demonstrate how the protection of workers’ rights, technological innovation 4.0, the streamlining of logistics, and sustainable sourcing are essential elements for a proactive approach to the company’s supply chain in managing negative impacts on people and the environment.

The environmental and social crises affecting global agri-food systems highlight the need for a profound transformation of production models and their territorial relations. In this context, agroecology, understood as science, practice, and movement, has emerged as a paradigm capable of integrating ecological sustainability, social equity, and community participation. Within this framework, the work carried out by CREA in the AgrEcoMed project (new agroecological approach for soil fertility and biodiversity restoration to improve economic and social resilience of Mediterranean farming systems), funded by the PRIMA programme, investigates agroecology as a social and political process of territorial regeneration. This process is grounded in co-design with local stakeholders, collective learning, and the construction of multi-actor networks for agroecology in the Mediterranean. The Manifesto functions as a tool for participatory governance and value convergence, aiming to consolidate a shared vision for the Mediterranean agroecological transition. The article examines, through an analysis of the existing literature, the role of agroecological networks and empirically examines the function of the collective co-creation of the Manifesto as a tool for social innovation. The methodology is based on a participatory action-research approach that used local focus groups, World Café, and thematic analysis to identify the needs of the companies involved. The results highlight the formation of a multi-actor network currently comprising around 90 members and confirm the effectiveness of the Manifesto as a boundary object for horizontal governance. This demonstrates how sustainability can emerge from dialogue, cooperation, and the co-production of knowledge among local actors.

Agri-food systems are increasingly exposed to environmental, economic, and social challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, and growing territorial inequalities. In this context, agroecology is increasingly recognised as a transformative paradigm integrating ecological, economic, social, cultural, and political dimensions within broader processes of food-system transition. Within the PRIMA AgrEcoMed project, 24 Italian agroecological initiatives led by women and young farmers were analysed to explore their contribution to agroecological transition processes in Mediterranean rural areas. The study adopts a qualitative multiple-case study approach and evaluates the selected initiatives through the framework of the 13 Principles of Agroecology proposed by the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, organised into three operational axes: improving resource efficiency, strengthening resilience, and ensuring social responsibility and fairness. The results show that the analysed initiatives combine ecological farming practices with processes of multifunctionality, territorial networking, knowledge co-creation, short supply chains, and community engagement. The findings suggest that several initiatives move beyond input-reduction strategies associated with “weak agroecology” and display characteristics consistent with stronger agroecological pathways based on territorial embeddedness, collective learning, and the reorganisation of relationships between production, consumption, and local communities. The paper highlights the relevance of agroecology not only as an environmentally sustainable farming approach, but also as a broader socio-ecological and territorial transition process, as well as the importance of policy frameworks to support territorial agroecological systems.