Research into the sustainability programmes of three giant global food corporations suggests that the success of their sustainablility programmes depends on how effectively they engage local stakeholders and adapt to the realities of varying business ecosystems.
The study, led by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) academic Dr Meryem Altaf, looked at the sustainability efforts of Nestlé, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in Pakistan.
It found evidence of genuine programmes covering water conservation, waste reduction, renewable energy, farming, nutrition and community development. However, researchers also identified reporting gaps, inconsistent measures and a reliance on narrative descriptions that lacked the detail needed to establish their true impact, fairness or long-term effectiveness.
The companies often reported environmental results as aggregated global or corporate figures, with limited information showing what had been achieved within individual countries and communities.
The researchers concluded that, although the companies were making efforts, there remained a disconnect between some global commitments and their local execution.
The study examined the activities of Nestlé, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company in Pakistan, a country facing serious challenges including water scarcity, climate vulnerability, regulatory uncertainty and limited environmental infrastructure.
Researchers analysed company reports and conducted interviews with company representatives and external stakeholders, including suppliers, regulators, customers, academics, research organisations and non-governmental organisations.
The companies reported initiatives including drip irrigation, water filtration and replenishment projects, renewable energy schemes, packaging and waste reduction programmes, support for farmers and nutrition projects.
However, the researchers found that the way results were recorded and reported varied considerably between the three businesses. Some local reports were largely descriptive, while others lacked the detail needed to assess the scale, fairness or long-term effectiveness of the work.
Dr Altaf, Lecturer in Business and Management at DMU’s Leicester Castle Business School, said: “These companies are carrying out sustainability work, so this is not a case of saying that nothing is being done.
“The issue is whether ambitious global commitments are being translated consistently into measurable local outcomes.
“Businesses need to show not only what projects they have launched, but what has changed as a result, who has benefited and how that impact has been assessed.
“Without clear measures, transparent local reporting and continuing accountability, there is a danger that impressive global promises will not be matched by evidence of meaningful progress on the ground.”
The study found that effective sustainability programmes could not simply be devised at corporate headquarters and imposed in the same form across different countries.
Instead, businesses needed to work continuously with local communities, suppliers, customers, regulators, researchers and voluntary organisations to identify priorities and develop practical solutions suited to local conditions.
Dr Altaf said: “Sustainability should not be treated as a finished policy which is handed down from a company’s headquarters.
“Global ambitions have to be adapted to local economic, cultural, environmental and regulatory realities. That requires a continuing relationship with the people and organisations that understand those conditions.”
The paper recommends that multinational businesses establish both formal and informal platforms for continuing engagement, and calls for greater transparency, more consistent reporting standards and stronger local accountability.
Dr Altaf added: “Large businesses have the resources and influence to make an important contribution to sustainability, but corporate commitments alone are not enough.
“The real test is whether those commitments produce demonstrable improvements for communities and the environment in the places where companies operate.”
The research, Towards an Integrated Approach to Corporate Sustainability: The Role of Multi-Stakeholder Value Co-Creation in the Food and Beverage Sector, was written by Meryem Altaf of DMU, Shanta Davie and Nosheen Khan of Newcastle University, and Chen Su of Maynooth University.
It is published in the journal Business Strategy and the Environment.
Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2026