Sustainable growth in the agro-food cooperatives of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)

Abstract

The present study aims at analysing the sustainable growth in the agro-food cooperatives of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). To this end, the study examines the impact of the corporate social responsibility (hereinafter CSR) on the performance of the agro-food cooperatives. CSR is analysed based on the three dimensions suggested by the triple bottom line approach: Economic dimension, social dimension, and environmental dimension. Results are analysed using a partial least squares regression (PLS-SEM). The main contributions are as follows: (1) The measurement of the CSR through the triple bottom line approach has proven to be appropriate for the agro-food cooperatives of Castilla-la Mancha, as it presents adequate values of reliability and validity; (2) these dimensions make up the CSR, although the environmental dimension is the most relevant one for the agro-food cooperatives of Castilla-La Mancha; and (3) CSR positively and significantly affects the performance of agro-food cooperatives, as it explains 39.2% of their variance, thus confirming a sustainable growth model for the agro-food cooperatives of Castilla-La Mancha.