Performance Drivers in a Sustainability-Oriented Economy

A sustainable agri-food system is characterized by its ability to ensure economic sustainability, thereby fostering long-term financial viability, to create broad benefits for society, promoting social sustainability, and to contribute to environmental sustainability. The sustainable development of companies is predicated on financial performance, which is instrumental in satisfying the demands of all interested parties. A focus on sustainability has the potential to catalyze innovation, resulting in the development of new products and services that meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly options. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between financial performance and sustainability performance for companies that realize food and agriculture revenue, as an indicator of the green economy. The analyzed sample consists of all listed companies worldwide that reported these revenues, from the Refinitiv Eikon database. The regression analysis revealed the existence of a statistically significant negative relationship between return on equity and ESG score, but not between Women Employees Score and return on equity, respectively between FA Food and Agriculture and return on equity. The findings of the study, which contribute to the research of the relationship, with particularization at the level of companies that generate food and agriculture revenue, will provide valuable insights to scholars, given the conflicting results of previous studies. Furthermore, business managers in the industry will find guidance on adopting best practices to improve financial performance while guaranteeing sustainability performance, and policymakers will be able to adopt strategies to boost sustainability performance and profitability.