A new model of sustainability governance is taking shape in Brazil, aiming to reduce the environmental impacts of agri-food production, trade, and consumption. This emerging “hybrid governance” approach marks a significant transformation in both global value chains and transnational environmental policies.
Researchers analyzed the power dynamics and environmental governance structures within Brazil’s soy and animal protein value chain, examining how this complex system has evolved. The study reveals how actors within global value chains including corporations, governments, civil society organizations, and trade partners are repositioning themselves in response to growing sustainability pressures.
In this process, eco-labelling initiatives have come to the forefront, while interventions from a wide range of stakeholders from environmental NGOs to private companies have increasingly regulated agricultural production. However, the research also highlights that while these multi-layered regulations help strengthen environmental standards, they can simultaneously reinforce existing power imbalances within governance structures.
An analysis of the soy-animal protein value chain connecting the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Brazil shows that a hybrid sustainability governance system has emerged over the past two decades. This system reflects a pursuit of balance between market interests and environmental goals, where public policies and private sector initiatives are deeply intertwined.
Experts emphasize that further research is needed to assess the long-term effects of this hybrid model. The ability of all stakeholders from producers to traders to implement meaningful environmental improvements will ultimately determine the success of this new governance framework.
