The sustainability performance of agricultural cooperatives: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This study examines how the literature addresses the sustainability performance of agricultural cooperatives through four key dimensions: economic and financial, environmental, social and governance. As key entities within the social economy, agricultural cooperatives play a crucial role in advancing sustainable development goals due to their community-oriented structure, democratic governance based on the user–owner principle and strong territorial ties. We systematically review 274 articles published between 1991 and 2024 that address at least one dimension of the sustainability performance of agricultural cooperatives. Our thematic analysis reveals a significant increase in published studies since 2018, covering a wide range of countries and agricultural products. While the literature predominantly focuses on the economic and financial dimension—either alone or in combination with other dimensions—the environmental, governance and social dimensions are significantly underrepresented, especially in Europe and North America, and in specific sectors such as wine production. In addition, many studies lack a solid theoretical foundation. Overall, the sustainability performance of agricultural cooperatives remains a complex and evolving issue, and this study highlights avenues for future research to improve knowledge and practice.