The analytic hierarchy process as an innovative way to enable stakeholder engagement for sustainability reporting in the food industry

The sustainable transition, which requires a combination of natural and human resources to foster the development and protection of ecosystems, is a challenge of civil society. New approaches may be proposed to support enterprises in identifying the appropriate strategic criteria for their sustainability initiatives, which are eventually documented in corporate sustainability reports. The present paper focuses on the food industry, particularly with regard to pasta production. The analytic hierarchy process method was used to assign relevance to sustainability criteria, according to the judgment of 10 academic experts. The initial criteria were selected from the sustainability reports of a virtuous and Italian pasta producer, La Molisana S.p.A., and divided into four categories: (1) people and community, (2) innovation and new product development, (3) commitment to the environment and (4) local supply chain and traceability. Promotion of social and economic development in the local community emerged as the most relevant criterion, followed by business development and promotion of talent. The people and community category was deemed most strategic for sustainability, while social and economic dimensions were given less relevance. Stakeholder engagement was proposed as an order winner for sustainable strategies. The present work has relevant methodological implications, as it shows that the analytic hierarchy process, applied in conjunction with a sustainability materiality matrix, may provide new and useful information for strategy and communication. In terms of operational implications, an enterprise’s historical connection to an area may attract global recognition and increase brand value through higher raw material quality, the harmonisation of human and natural resources, and synergy with the tourism industry.