Nowadays, students expect that their university will not only provide a valuable source of practical knowledge for them, but will also be ready to offer appropriate distance learning opportunities both on a daily basis to diversify and enrich the study process experience and during global pandemic crises, which will probably be the reality of their lives in the next decades. The novelty and topicality of this study is justified by the need to assess the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the European Union higher education system and its adaptability to switch from traditional to remote study forms. The objectives of the study were: 1) to analyse the need to improve digital skills in the European Union by investigating the achievements of the Digital Economy and Society Index; 2) to assess the current digital environment of Latvian public universities and conduct an in-depth study of the digital environment of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The research methodology is based on the desk study, social survey, comparative analysis and logical construction research methods. The results of the study revealed the digital gap that still exists between the more developed Nordic European countries and the less developed Southern and Eastern European countries. However, detailed analysis of the situation in Latvia leads to the conclusion that Latvian higher education institutions have significantly increased the amount of digital content in both external and internal communication systems and can offer competitive educational services that comply with the contemporary education requirements.

Economic growth increases the pressure on environmental issues, thus highlighting the importance of waste minimization processes. The waste management approaches in most European countries have so far been relatively little studied and compared at the micro level. The main objective of the current research is to analyze the challenges of waste minimization in European food industry enterprises and identify good practices in the selected countries. The research used a mixed-method methodology, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods, thus providing an in-depth insight into food enterprises’ efforts to reduce their production waste and use their resources more efficiently. The main data collection methods used for the study were secondary data research, discourse analysis, case studies, and focus group interviews. The analysis of the food waste management applications in the European countries’ food sub-sectors leads to the conclusion that since the national initiatives and success factors vary between the countries, it is important to invent such national food waste management systems that are economically justified and technically available for all enterprises regardless of their food waste production volumes. It is also necessary to raise awareness of the strategies that food industry employers, employees, and consumers can use to reduce their waste and thus promote a waste minimization culture in Europe. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-03-08 Full Text: PDF

To protect their population during pandemic outbreak, countries apply several preventive restrictions and even shut down their economies to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Since food supply chains in developed countries are complicated and dependent on their external suppliers, these restrictions cause not only economic but also social tension. The limited access to raw materials, packaging material and labour force result in the increasing prices of food products, which forces the population to refuse from quality food products. In the European Union food supply chains, which are negatively affected by protectionist elements and COVID-19 restrictions, the room for manoeuvre of Latvia's small open economy is limited. The current paper analyses the impact of COVID-19 crisis on global food industry, providing a deeper insight into the case study of Latvia meat supply chains' experience in overcoming pandemic risks. The research outcomes lead to the conclusion that although COVID-19 impact during first breakout has not caused unexpected and serious consequences for the meat sector companies, the main internal and external risks are associated with further uncertainty and instability in the EU markets. Based on extensive analysis of meat sector specifics, the authors have summarized the recommendations for meat sector companies to better prepare for further potential pandemic situations. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01257 Full Text: PDF

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

Recently, there is a growing interest in investing in ways that might eliminate global warming; therefore, a number of studies promote the idea of ESG investing. The current study presents the latest discourses on the interpretation of investment and the role of social aspects in terms of investing in ESG. The topicality of the particular study is justified by the fact that food sector investors and other market participants use ESG information through ESG ratings, which, among social factors, include on-the-job training as an important indicator of a company’s sustainability. This study was based on a mixed-methods methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative research methods in consistent methodological steps. Based on the research of a wide range of scientific literature and the results of focus group interviews with industry practitioners, the authors have explored ESG implementation issues in European food sector enterprises to identify how food sector companies can strengthen their ESG performance by developing practical on-the-job training in waste management. This study has posed a research question: What skills should be integrated in on-the-job training programs in contemporary waste management in food industry enterprises? The research results present a systematized structure that integrates explicit and tacit knowledge, skills and competence that were acknowledged as topical in developing on-the-job training programs for food industry enterprises.

The current article examines how Latvian consumers perceive the sustainability of rural tourism services and locally produced food, with particular attention paid to their views on misleading environmental claims. For small-scale agricultural producers and rural tourism providers, sustainability communication has become common, yet formal regulation and consumer clarity issues often remain uncertain. The study is based on a mixed-methods approach that contains a comprehensive, multi-dimensional literature analysis and quantitative nation-wide survey data analysis (SPSS 27) with a thematic interpretation of consumer attitudes towards sustainability, trust, and greenwashing. The research findings show that while consumers generally support sustainable and ethically produced goods and services, their trust depends heavily on the transparency and credibility of the information provided. Official certifications and clear communication were seen as trustworthy, while vague promotional claims, especially in digital media, were often met with scepticism. The study also reveals how different factors such as education level, income, and place of residence influence the ability to recognize potential greenwashing. Given the growing global concern about false environmental claims, this article provides valuable insights not only for Latvia but also for other countries facing similar challenges in promoting sustainable rural development while preserving consumer trust in the green economy.