Effective Stakeholder involvement at the Base of the Pyramid: The case of Rabobank

In this essay, we explore the role of Rabobank in dealing with the wicked problem of food security in general and of smallholder inclusion into food value chains in particular. In the first part of the essay, we focus on the (social) expectations of stakeholders with regard to Rabobank’s role in BoP management, the way stakeholder expectations are managed and the way Rabobank collaborates with multiple stakeholders in the value chains in order achieve their economic and social goals. In the second part, we explore how Rabobank Foundation, an independent non-profit organization which is funded by the Rabobank Group, contributes to the achievement of these goals at the BoP; by a unique collaboration between the for-profit and not-for-profit activities of the Rabobank, together with their customers and other stakeholders, Rabobank is able to achieve both its economic and social goals at the BoP

Exploring the integration of business and CSR perspectives in smallholder sourcing: black soybean in Indonesia and tomato in India

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of smallholder supply chains on sustainable sourcing to answer the question how food and agribusiness multinationals can best include smallholders in their sourcing strategies and take social responsibility for large-scale sustainable and more equitable supply. A sustainable smallholder sourcing model with a list of critical success factors (CSFs) has been applied on two best-practise cases. In this model, business and corporate social responsibility perspectives are integrated. Design/methodology/approach – The primary data of the value chain analyses of the two smallholder supply chains of a food and agribusiness multinational have been applied. Both cases were of a join research program commissioned by the multinational and a non-governmental organization using the same methods and research tools. Similarities, differences and interference between the cases have been determined and assessed in order to confirm, fine tune or adjust the CSFs. Findings – Both cases could be conceptualized through the smallholder sourcing model. Most CSFs could be found in both cases, but differences were also found, which led to fine tuning of some CSFs: building of a partnership and effective producers organization, providing farm financing and the use of cross-functional teams in smallholder supplier development programs. It was also concluded that the smallholder sourcing model is applicable in different geographical areas. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this study are based on just two cases. More best-practise cases are recommended in order to confirm or to adjust the developed sourcing model and the CSFs. Originality/value – This paper/research fills the need in sustainable supply chain management literature to study supply chains that comply with the triple bottom line concept, rather than supply chains that are just more “green.” Keywords Small- to medium-sized enterprises, Food products, Supply chain management, Developing countries, Business development, Food industry, Commodity markets Paper type Research pap