IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v8y2019i3p145-d258258.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Do Chain Governance and Fair Trade Matter? A S-LCA Methodological Proposal Applied to Food Products from Belgian Alternative Chains (Part 2)

Author

Listed:
  • Solène Sureau

    (Institute for Environnemental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • François Lohest

    (Institute for Environnemental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Joris Van Mol

    (Institute for Environnemental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Tom Bauler

    (Institute for Environnemental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Wouter M. J. Achten

    (Institute for Environnemental Management and Land-Use Planning (IGEAT), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium)

Abstract

Alternative food networks (AFNs) have emerged to improve both environmental and socio-economic aspects of food provisioning, including the living and working conditions of farmers. Their objectives are supposed to be mediated through the shortening of chains and/or the implication of alternative value chain actors (VCAs). Through the application of a social life cycle assessment methodological proposal on two products from three Belgian AFNs, we first verify how the AFNs meet sustainability promises. Second, we investigate how such social sustainability of the assessed products is influenced by the differentiated configurations of chain governance in the AFNs. Such a discussion of root causes of social sustainability performances in product chains have been investigated very little as of yet. Our results show that AFN perform well in some aspects (consumer aspects, work satisfaction, social ties between VCAs), but in some others, AFN chains use similar mechanisms as the ones used by mainstream chains (unbalanced market power, unfair prices, and low commitment between VCAs), with potentially detrimental effects on profitability and employment conditions for VCAs located upstream, i.e., farms. Our framework is useful to highlight social hotspots in product chains, and to discuss these across the differences in the configurations of the chain layout and—in the end—chain governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Solène Sureau & François Lohest & Joris Van Mol & Tom Bauler & Wouter M. J. Achten, 2019. "How Do Chain Governance and Fair Trade Matter? A S-LCA Methodological Proposal Applied to Food Products from Belgian Alternative Chains (Part 2)," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-26, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:8:y:2019:i:3:p:145-:d:258258
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/8/3/145/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/8/3/145/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Solène Sureau & François Lohest & Joris Van Mol & Thomas Bauler & Wouter Achten, 2019. "Participation in S-LCA: A Methodological Proposal Applied to Belgian Alternative Food Chains (Part 1)," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/293435, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Solène Sureau & Sabrina S.N. Neugebauer & Wouter Achten, 2019. "Different paths in social life cycle impact assessment (S-LCIA) – a classification of Type II or impact pathways approaches," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/293437, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Cheryl Brown & Stacy Miller, 2008. "The Impacts of Local Markets: A Review of Research on Farmers Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1298-1302.
    4. Stephanie BARRIENTOS & Gary GEREFFI & Arianna ROSSI, 2011. "Economic and social upgrading in global production networks: A new paradigm for a changing world," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 150(3-4), pages 319-340, December.
    5. Ryan E. Galt, 2013. "The Moral Economy Is a Double-edged Sword: Explaining Farmers’ Earnings and Self-exploitation in Community-Supported Agriculture," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 89(4), pages 341-365, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Solène Sureau & François Lohest & Joris Van Mol & Tom Bauler & Wouter M. J. Achten, 2019. "Participation in S-LCA: A Methodological Proposal Applied to Belgian Alternative Food Chains (Part 1)," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-24, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Solène Sureau & François Lohest & Joris Van Mol & Thomas Bauler & Wouter Achten, 2019. "How Do Chain Governance and Fair Trade Matter? A S-LCA Methodological Proposal Applied to Food Products from Belgian Alternative Chains (Part 2)," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/291586, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Rossi, Jairus & Woods, Tim, 2020. "Understanding Shareholder Satisfaction and Retention in CSA Incentive Programs," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 51(3), November.
    3. Jairus J. Rossi & Timothy A. Woods & James E. Allen, 2017. "Impacts of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Voucher Program on Food Lifestyle Behaviors: Evidence from an Employer-Sponsored Pilot Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-21, August.
    4. Marilyn Sitaker & Jared T. McGuirt & Weiwei Wang & Jane Kolodinsky & Rebecca A. Seguin, 2019. "Spatial Considerations for Implementing Two Direct-to-Consumer Food Models in Two States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Tackling Conventional Agriculture: The Institutionalization of Community Supported Agriculture's (CSA) Principles," Post-Print halshs-01923789, HAL.
    6. Catherine Brinkley & Gwyneth M. Manser & Sasha Pesci, 2021. "Growing pains in local food systems: a longitudinal social network analysis on local food marketing in Baltimore County, Maryland and Chester County, Pennsylvania," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(4), pages 911-927, December.
    7. Stevens Azima & Patrick Mundler, 2022. "Does direct farm marketing fulfill its promises? analyzing job satisfaction among direct-market farmers in Canada," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 791-807, June.
    8. Roxana Bobulescu & Nhu Tuyên Lê & Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Socio-economic and ecological transition in community supported agriculture: from the 'transitional' to the 'ideal' CSA," Post-Print halshs-01923235, HAL.
    9. Jairus Rossi & James E. Allen & Timothy A. Woods & Alison F. Davis, 2017. "CSA shareholder food lifestyle behaviors: a comparison across consumer groups," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(4), pages 855-869, December.
    10. Roxana Bobulescu & Nhu Tuyên Lê & Claudio Vitari & Erin Whittingham, 2018. "Socio-economic and ecological transition in community supported agriculture: from the 'transitional' to the 'ideal' CSA," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) halshs-01923235, HAL.
    11. Patrick Mundler & Sophie Laughrea, 2015. "Circuits alimentaires de proximité - Quels bénéfices pour le développement des territoires? Étude de cas dans trois territoires québécois," CIRANO Project Reports 2015rp-21, CIRANO.
    12. Epede, Mesumbe Bianca & Wang, Daoping, 2022. "Global value chain linkages: An integrative review of the opportunities and challenges for SMEs in developing countries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    13. Sjauw-Koen-Fa, August R. & Blok, Vincent & Omta, S.W.F. (Onno), 2016. "Critical Success Factors for Smallholder Inclusion in High Value-Adding Supply Chains by Food & Agribusiness Multinational Enterprise," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(1), pages 1-30, February.
    14. Valentine Fays & Benoît Mahy & François Rycx, 2023. "Wage differences according to workers' origin: The role of working more upstream in GVCs," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 37(2), pages 319-342, June.
    15. Catherine Casey & Helen Delaney & Antje Fiedler, 2021. "Recalling the moral dimension: Transnational labour interests and corporate social responsibilities," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 389-405, September.
    16. Hamilton-Hart, Natasha & Stringer, Christina, 2016. "Upgrading and exploitation in the fishing industry: Contributions of value chain analysis," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 166-171.
    17. Sara A. L. Smaal & Joost Dessein & Barend J. Wind & Elke Rogge, 2021. "Social justice-oriented narratives in European urban food strategies: Bringing forward redistribution, recognition and representation," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(3), pages 709-727, September.
    18. Ayako Ebata & Hayley MacGregor & Michael Loevinsohn & Khine Su Win & Alexander W. Tucker, 0. "Value Chain Governance, Power and Negative Externalities: What Influences Efforts to Control Pig Diseases in Myanmar?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 0, pages 1-22.
    19. Sukhpal Singh, 2013. "Governance and upgrading in export grape global production networks in India," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series ctg-2013-33, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    20. Reynolds-Allie, Kenesha & Fields, Deacue, 2011. "Alabama Restaurant Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Local Food: A Choice Based Approach," 2011 Annual Meeting, February 5-8, 2011, Corpus Christi, Texas 98822, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:8:y:2019:i:3:p:145-:d:258258. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.