The transition from soft to hard law is reshaping global agri-food governance, particularly in relation to sustainability and corporate responsibility. This article analyzes this shift by examining two regulatory approaches: voluntary instruments such as the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and binding EU directives like the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Corporate Sustain ability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Using a qualitative and interpretive methodology, the study combines a literature review and two case studies (Nicoverde and Lavazza) to explore the evolution from soft law to hard law and the synergies and analyze how these tools are applied in the Italian agri-food sector and how they can contribute to improving corporate sustainability performance. Findings show that soft law has paved the way for more rigorous regulation, but the increasing compliance burden poses challenges, es pecially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These cases serve as virtuous examples to illustrate how soft and hard law interact in practice, offering concrete insights into the translation of general sustainability principles into corporate strategies. A hybrid governance framework—combining voluntary and binding tools—can foster sustainability AcademicEditor: FrancescoBimbo Received: 19August2025 Revised: 21September2025 Accepted: 3October2025 Published: 9 October2025 Citation: Briamonte,L.; Scarpato, D. FromSoftLawtoHardLaw: Legal Transitions and Sustainable Challenges in theItalian Agri-Food Sector. Sustainability 2025, 17, 8952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su17198952 Copyright: ©2025bytheauthors. Licensee MDPI,Basel,Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the termsand conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). if supported by coherent policies, stakeholder collaboration and adequate support mecha nisms. The study offers practical insights for both companies and policymakers navigating the evolving legal scenario.
From Soft Law to Hard Law: Legal Transitions and Sustainable Challenges in the Italian Agri-Food Sector
Briamonte, Lucia;Scarpato, Debora
2025-01-01
Abstract
The transition from soft to hard law is reshaping global agri-food governance, particularly in relation to sustainability and corporate responsibility. This article analyzes this shift by examining two regulatory approaches: voluntary instruments such as the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and binding EU directives like the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Corporate Sustain ability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Using a qualitative and interpretive methodology, the study combines a literature review and two case studies (Nicoverde and Lavazza) to explore the evolution from soft law to hard law and the synergies and analyze how these tools are applied in the Italian agri-food sector and how they can contribute to improving corporate sustainability performance. Findings show that soft law has paved the way for more rigorous regulation, but the increasing compliance burden poses challenges, es pecially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These cases serve as virtuous examples to illustrate how soft and hard law interact in practice, offering concrete insights into the translation of general sustainability principles into corporate strategies. A hybrid governance framework—combining voluntary and binding tools—can foster sustainability AcademicEditor: FrancescoBimbo Received: 19August2025 Revised: 21September2025 Accepted: 3October2025 Published: 9 October2025 Citation: Briamonte,L.; Scarpato, D. FromSoftLawtoHardLaw: Legal Transitions and Sustainable Challenges in theItalian Agri-Food Sector. Sustainability 2025, 17, 8952. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su17198952 Copyright: ©2025bytheauthors. Licensee MDPI,Basel,Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the termsand conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). if supported by coherent policies, stakeholder collaboration and adequate support mecha nisms. The study offers practical insights for both companies and policymakers navigating the evolving legal scenario.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
