Food Track - A transparent and traceable food supply chain for the benefit of workers, enterprises and consumers: therole of a multi-sectoral approach of industrial relations and corporate social responsibility

This project will focus on how multinational enterprises, operating in food processing industry and in distribution sector (wholesales and retail), put in place fair trading practices through:−  mechanisms introduced by collective bargaining;− voluntary schemes and CSR policies The project will provide case studies and evidence on whether and how such policies and practices are put in place by multinational enterprises. The industrial relations will be compared in 4 countries: Italy; Greece; Ireland and Romania, at sectoral level (food and retail sector) and at company level (within target multinationals of food and retail). 

Schedule & Actions: 

Specific objectives are to:• carry out a SWOT analysis on the dynamics of the food supply chain: provide case studies and evidence on unfair trading practices focusing on three target industries: dairy industry; fruit and vegetables; provide evidence on how workers and small producers may be affected by unfair trading practices;• analyse the price composition in the industries above mentioned and assess the role of large retailers and large producers of processed foods (multinationals) to set price with small producers, also by analysing the content of futures contracts;• analyse the industrial relations at national and transnational level within target multinationals of food industry and distribution sector with a view to identifying any mechanisms and/or practices in defense of small producers and agricultural workers;• analyse the collective agreements in agriculture, food, wholesale and retail sector in target countries with a view to identifying any mechanisms and/or practices in defense of small producers and agricultural workers;• map any experience of coordination of collective bargaining across different levels of the food value chain and territories aimed at promoting social inclusion and job quality;• identify convergences and differences in the industrial relations systems in place in the EU Member States and in Candidate Countries;• analyse the CSR policies and practices and the functioning of industry voluntary initiatives and examples of good practice by companies (or the lack thereof) aimed at avoiding causing or contributing to adverse impact towards suppliers and subsidiaries, preventing trafficking and exploitation of farm laborers and assessing the extent to which target multinationals of food industry and distribution sector comply with;• analyse the use of ICT tehcnologies within the framework of the Commission's Digital Agenda for making supply chain transparent;• identifying convergences and differences in the CSR policies and practices in place in the EU Member States and in Candidate Countries;• bringing together relevant actors such as academia, social partners, NGOs and policy makers to develop a set of guidelines for coordination of collective bargaining across agriculture, food, wholesale and retail sector with a view to introducing common solutions for making sure that price of commodities is set in a fair and transparent way and holding the lead firms accountable and responsible for any violations of the workers’ rights along the upward sector of the value chain;• disseminate findings in a publication, round tables and a European conference.

Participating Faculty and Staff: 
Starting Date: 
2 017
Ending Date: 
2 018
Funded by: 
DG-Employment